If you dread hearing your alarm in the morning and love nothing more than rolling over, hitting snooze and catching a few more z’s to put off venturing into work, then you are one of the many people who have grown to loathe their jobs. Stuck in a rut doesn’t really seem to cut it as hyperbole to describe how you feel about your career. You might be wallowing in a humdrum desk job, nervous at upsetting your overbearing boss or eager to utilize your skills rather than checking out news websites and twiddling your thumbs all day. However, your dislike of your job might be the least of your worries; you need to consider your health within the workplace. While you might like to think of yourself as some sculpted god or goddess with less than 10% body fat and an optimum BMI, take a look at how your job could be having an impact on your wellbeing.
The Office
Spending eight hours a day on a swivel chair staring at a computer screen is not conducive to good mental or physical health. While you might not be subject to dangerous situations within the workplace, you could still find yourself suffering from eye strain, headaches and back problems because your employers have never heard of ergonomically well-designed furniture. Enquire about backrests and footstools to help aid your posture. Take a break every so often from the screen and go for a walk to stretch your legs. If you get outdoors and bathe in some natural light all the better. While you don’t have any chance of developing rickets, you still need enough Vitamin D from the sun to promote sound calcium production in your bloodstream and healthy bones.
The Building Site
Obviously being immersed in the world of construction is going to be just a tad more perilous than sitting in an office booth all day. You will be working with power tools, scaling scaffolding and working with hazardous materials. If you’re involved in locating asbestos you may find yourself needing to find a trusted attorney for mesothelioma victims during your retirement years. The prolonged health effects of working with harmful compounds and chemicals may not show up for decades. It’s vital that you adhere to all health and safety procedures, notify your bosses when things look awry and keep yourself safe by wearing protective gear and masks at all times.
Underground
Working underground as a miner has its own set of hazards that can impact on your health. Although rare, mineshafts have been known to collapse resulting in catastrophic loss of life. It’s important to maintain regular checks on the integrity of the ground and earth you are working within. Gases are present underground, so keep an eye on the levels before they risk causing an explosion. Radon and asbestos are both damaging to your lungs and can cause long-term health problems.
Just because you might be finding the monotony of your job frustrating, this is the least of your worries compared to the more profound impact your job may be having on your health.
