General Guidelines

The health of the U.S. economy depends on healthy and productive workers. Workers’ health

depends on what they do (or don’t do) on and off the job.

1. •Practice good health habits. This helps you be healthy and alert at work.
   

2. •Follow your doctor’s treatment plan for conditions you have. Exercise. Take medications as directed, etc.
   

3. •Manage stress. (See Manage Stress.)
   

4. •Prevent and manage back pain. (See Back Pain.)
   

5. •Set realistic goals. Budget your time. Rank order tasks.
   

6. •Don’t commit to doing too much.
   

7. •Balance work, personal, and family life.
   

8. •Don’t drink alcohol or use illegal drugs before or during work. Don’t use medicines that cause drowsiness, especially if you operate machines. Ask your doctor if and how medicines you take can affect you on the job. Follow his or her advice. Alcohol and drug use and abuse affect the person using the substance, as well as co-workers. (See also, Alcohol & Drug Problems.) If you or a co-worker have an alcohol or drug problem, talk in confidence to the contact person in your Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
   

9. •Learn how to respond to accidents.
   

10. -Know where the closest fire extinguisher is. Learn how to use it the right way.
    

11. -Know your closest fire escape route. Plan a fire drill with your co-workers.
    

12. -Post emergency phone numbers (EMS, fire, police, Poison Control Center) near phones.
    

13. -Take first aid courses for CPR, for choking, and how to treat injuries.
    

14. -Find out if your workplace has an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to use if someone has a heart attack. Find out where it is.

1. Workplace Health & Safety