CMO Message - Health & Safety at Work

When the topic of workplace safety comes up, most people think of ergonomics, safety protocols for operating heavy machinery, minimizing exposure to chemicals and noise, and now also preventing COVID-19 outbreaks. However, occupational health and personal health are not separate entities but rather interrelated. You cannot have one without the other.

Even everyday decisions, like getting enough sleep, can improve your reaction time and prevent workplace accidents for yourself and others. Staying physically active and maintaining a healthy body weight decreases risk of occupational injury. If you have any chronic conditions, taking your medications as prescribed ensures that you don’t have any complications or symptoms at work that could affect your alertness or ability to function.

The close relationship between personal and occupational health has never been more apparent than in the context of COVID-19. For the past year, we’ve been social distancing, wearing masks, limiting gatherings, and increasing hand hygiene to combat the spread of COVID-19. These mitigation measures are not only important in the workplace but also our personal lives to keep our co-workers safe.

The newest tool we have to protect ourselves is the COVID-19 vaccine. Getting vaccinated can prevent you from getting a severe case of COVID-19 and could save your life. As the number of people vaccinated ramps up, it’s still important to maintain the mitigation measures above, self-monitor for symptoms, and get tested when necessary. If you have any questions about getting the vaccine, please contact your healthcare provider for advice. UnitedAg is working tirelessly to get all allocated vaccine doses to our membership as soon as they become available so please keep a lookout for emails and text messages for more information in your county.