Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Prevent the Spread of Illness at Work


It’s the start of back-to-school season, which means both children and adults face a greater risk for illnesses. Cintas offers tips for workers to stay healthy and prevent illness from spreading at this germ-filled time of year. 
  • Take medicine at the first signs of sickness. This will help prevent common cold symptoms, such as coughing and sneezing, from contaminating work areas.
  • Avoid medications that can induce drowsiness. Especially for employees working with machinery or whose jobs require driving, non-drowsy formulas are essential. These products help maintain productivity without increasing the opportunity for accidents. Read medicine labels thoroughly to ensure drowsiness is not one of the side effects of the medicine and stop taking medicine if you feel it is affecting your ability to stay alert.
  • Stay hydrated. Regularly drink fluids in order to keep from becoming dehydrated. Water is best for fighting illness rather than coffee or soft drinks.
  • Cover cuts and abrasions with bandages.
  • Keep hands clean. Effective and regular hand washing can help prevent the spread of pathogens to coworkers. Scrub hands with hot water and soap for 20 sec. to get the best results. Use hand sanitizer to further disinfect or when hand washing is not possible.
  • Limit contact with others and communal items.
  • Take a day of rest if necessary. Getting extra sleep and limiting exertion helps bodies recuperate more quickly.
By following these tips, workers can reduce the likelihood of infecting others and keep business productivity on track. For more information, click here