People often embark on healthier eating habits to improve the quality of their personal lives. Yet the practice of eating more nutritious foods can have a positive impact on their working lives as well. Employees who put a premium on choosing high-quality ingredients for meals and snacks may lower their risk of getting injured on the job. This means they may never need to file for Workers’ Compensation benefits.
Employees who are injured on the job should reach out to a seasoned Workers’ Compensation lawyer, who will guide the worker through the claims process.
The Connection Between Healthy Eating and Workplace Safety
How can a worker’s diet make a difference to the worker’s overall safety? The answer lies in the importance of food as fuel. Though many people eat for enjoyment, the items they choose can either help or hurt their body’s systems. For example, foods high in essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients sustain the body. On the other hand, foods high in unnecessary ingredients such as saturated fats can contribute to long-term health problems.
As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes, eating conscientiously can assist with weight management and obesity. It is well documented that people who are overweight or obese put a great deal of stress on their bodies because of the extra pounds they carry. Consequently, an obese worker’s physique could lead to an increased likelihood of heart attack while performing a strenuous on-the-job activity such as lifting and carrying boxes.
Another example of how an employee’s nutrition can impact work relates to energy levels. Smart nutrition dovetails with improved energy. Workers who can keep their energy levels high from the beginning to the end of a shift are less likely to make fatigue-related errors.
Of course, employers cannot compel their employees to eat healthier at home or throughout the workday. Certainly, they can offer more nutritious snacks in break rooms and vending machines. However, it is up to individual workers and their teams to follow a few better eating guidelines.
Tips for Eating Better for a Healthier Working Life
Here are some of the simplest, most convenient ways that workers can lower their workplace injury risk through nutrition:
- Start small. Trading in one or two so-called empty calorie foods per day for nutritious ones can pay off down the road. For instance, eating a banana instead of a bag of potato chips as a mid-morning or afternoon snack will fill the body with the right kind of calories.
- Drink water. Many workers rely on caffeine to get them through the day. Drinking coffee or low-sugar energy drinks in moderation can be fine. Nevertheless, any caffeine should be balanced with at least equal amounts of water. In fact, staying hydrated by drinking lots of water can keep workers feeling alert, too.
- Offer nutritious foods at meetings. Many work-related meetings are accompanied by food. Unfortunately, the food might come from a high-fat food group. It is not uncommon to see platefuls of doughnuts, muffins, or other baked goods on the table for work meetings. Replacing these items with more nutritious snacks can have positive repercussions in the long run.
- Make suggestions for the workplace cafeteria. Workers whose employers offer a lunch cafeteria may want to make recommendations for more nutritious offerings. This allows the workers to have more options that they can feel good about eating.
- Bring lunch and snacks instead of eating fast food. Eating fast food once in a while is fine, but some employees go through the drive-through window almost every day. Making meals at home and bringing them to the job usually is healthier. As an added benefit, most homemade items cost less than grab-and-go options.
Suppose I Eat Healthy and Still Get into a Workplace Accident?
Good nutrition can play a part in staying healthy at work. Nonetheless, some work accidents cannot be foreseen or prevented. In those circumstances, employees should avail themselves of the Workers’ Compensation benefits they are legally entitled to receive. If their claims for legitimate accidents are denied, they may want to speak with a Workers’ Compensation lawyer about the appeals process.
Downingtown Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at Wusinich, Sweeney & Ryan, LLC Help Injured Workers with the Workers’ Compensation Claim and Appeals Process
If your Workers’ Compensation claim was denied by your employer, the Downingtown Workers’ Compensation lawyers at Wusinich, Sweeney & Ryan, LLC are ready to assist. Our team will review your case and recommend the best course of action to take to recover the maximum benefits available. We handle complex cases involving settlements and appeals as well. Contact us online or call us at 610-594-1600 for a free consultation today. We are located in Exton, Pennsylvania, and we serve residents of Downingtown, West Chester, Exton, Coatesville, Phoenixville, Malvern, Lyndell, Wagontown, Uwchlan Township, Parkesburg, Chester Springs, Lancaster County, Reading, and Morgantown.