Stress in the workplace: a collective challenge

Every 15 seconds, 160 workers have a work-related accident.

28^th April 2016

The annual World Safety and Health Day promotes the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases, globally. The campaign aims to raise awareness and focus attention on how a health and safety culture can help to reduce the number of work-related deaths and injuries.

The 28^th April is also the International Commemoration Day for the Dead and Injured Workers, organised worldwide by the trade union movement since 1996.

Workplace Stress

The theme this year – Workplace Stress: a collective challenge.

Workers are facing more pressures to meet demands of modern working life. There are a number of factors which contribute to the workplace becoming an even more stressful environment:

• Increased competition
• Higher performance expectations
• Longer working hours
• Risk of losing jobs
• Economic recession
• Increasing precarious work
• Reduced opportunities within work

According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), there has been growing attention to the impact of psychosocial risks and work-related stress among researchers, practitioners and policy makers.

Work-related stress is acknowledged as a global issue, affecting all countries, all professions and all workers.

Prevention of Occupational Accidents and Diseases

Every 15 seconds, a worker dies from a work-related accident or disease.

World Day for Safety and Health at Work is about the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases across the globe. By raising awareness and promoting a safety and health culture, the number of work-related deaths and injuries can be reduced.

We are all responsible for preventing deaths and injuries at work. Employers must make sure they provide a safe working environment for their staff. As workers, we need to protect ourselves whilst ensuring not to endanger others. We should know our rights and help to take preventive measures.

You can download a guide to health and safety regulation in Great Britain here.

View our other recent blogs here.

Embrace-learning is a UK leading provider of quality e-learning resources to the Health and Social Care sector.

Diabetes: Action needed this World Health Day

The World Health Organisation was set up on April 7^th 1948. Every year since 1950, its anniversary is celebrated with ‘World Health Day’- the focus this year is on Diabetes.

What is Diabetes?

A lifelong condition that causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high. Of the two types, around 90% of all adults affected have type 2.

Type 1 is a chronic condition where the pancreas does not produce enough, if any insulin by itself.

Type 2 is usually found in adults and occurs when the body becomes resistant to insulin, or doesn’t make enough.

In 1996 there were 1.4 million people living with the condition in the UK, but this is dramatically rising with an estimated figure of 5 million by 2025. Across the globe, there are currently 422 million adults affected- an alarming figure. This increase is why World Health Day is all about raising awareness of Diabetes this year. More than one in 16 people are now living with the condition in the UK.

If left untreated, Diabetes becomes progressively worse.

It is vital that you are diagnosed as early as possible.

Diabetes can lead to heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and even lower limb amputation. A key finding in the global report on diabetes carried out by the World Health Organisation is that the condition was the cause of 1.5million deaths in 2012. Many of these deaths were before the age of 70, and of those with type 2, they are largely preventable through healthy lifestyles.

If you or someone you know wants to understand Diabetes type 1 and type 2, the symptoms, causes and the treatments, we have an online training course ‘Supporting People with Diabetes Mellitus’. This course aims to raise awareness about the condition, help learners to understand the implications, and enable them to provide people with the support and guidance that they need.

Visit our website embrace-learning to see our catalogue of online courses on a wide range of Health and Social care topics or call us on 0161 928 9987 for more information.

If you want to get involved and help raise awareness of Diabetes this World Health Day, visit the World Health Organisation website to see how you can help.

View our other recent blogs here.