Most people have relatively calm jobs that aren’t inherently dangerous. Others have careers that pose obvious risks. After all, you’re going to be in more danger working at a construction site than sitting in an office.
But, that doesn’t mean your cushy office job is completely safe. There are hidden health risks in even the most unassuming of careers. About 2.3 million people experience workplace injuries or exposure to diseases every year.
If you think your job couldn’t possibly factor into that statistic, you might be surprised. Assuming everything in your workplace is safe and secure, including your daily habits, could be putting you in harm’s way.
So, is your job actually bad for your health?
Unseen Issues That Can Cause Harm
Some of the most dangerous things about your job may be what you can’t always see. If you don’t work in an environment that has obvious risks, you might never give a second thought to the hidden dangers lurking around you.
This isn’t meant to scare you, it’s meant to inform you.
What are some of those possible hidden dangers?
One of the biggest problems many people don’t recognize is the danger of indoor air pollution. Whether you’re sitting in an office, working in a factory, or even walking the floor of a retail space, air pollution can be caused by some serious culprits that may damage your health, including:
Asbestos
Lead
Smoke
Carbon monoxide
Cleaners
Pesticides
Even things like pollen and dust can wreak havoc on your respiratory system over time. Constant exposure to chemicals or contaminants can cause lasting medical issues and may even cause you to develop certain diseases.
Precautions like wearing a mask, working by an open window, or talking to your employer about an air purification system are all ways to improve your personal air quality and reduce your risk of harmful exposure.
Daily Habits That Can Impact Your Health
Sometimes, it’s not necessarily what’s around you, but what you do at your job that can be bad for your health.
For example, if you sit at a desk all day, you could be doing more harm to your physical health than you realize. The Mayo Clinic has linked long periods of sitting to conditions like:
High blood pressure
High blood sugar
Obesity
Abnormal cholesterol levels
Prolonged periods of sitting can even cause circulation issues in your legs. That increases your risk of developing ulcers, stroke, and heart conditions.
Thankfully, there are easy “remedies” for being immobile at work all day. You can start by wearing compression stockings to improve blood flow in your legs. More importantly, though, make sure you’re moving throughout the day. Take breaks and do some light stretching, walk around your office, or get outside for a stroll around the block.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are other daily habits you should put into place to protect your health, too. You could be putting yourself at risk right now if you don’t regularly wash/sanitize your hands, clean your office space, and keep a safe distance from people if you’re still concerned about the virus. Getting into these healthy habits can offer you a better sense of security in the workplace.
As you can see, you don’t need to have an inherently high-risk job to put yourself in danger. Keep these unseen issues and work habits in mind every day, and make positive changes to keep yourself safe. That might require talking to your employer or starting a company initiative about safety. Or, it may simply require some habitual adjustments.
Whatever the case, make sure you know the potential risks of your job, so you can keep yourself as healthy as possible at work.
