Safety at Work: How Fitwel Can Help

Jun 23

Insights from the Center for Active Design Experts

Workplace safety for all.

According to the latest data, fatal work injuries in 2021 were up 8.9% from 2020, and despite advances in technology and machinery over the past five years, nonfatal work injury and illness rates have not declined. These statistics highlight the room for growth in addressing workplace safety, an apt topic this June, during National Safety Month. Fortunately, there are multiple tried and true strategies featured within the Fitwel Healthy Building Standard that can support safety across an array of workplace settings. Apart from the traditional office workplace, Fitwel also offers opportunities to enhance safety in commercial and industrial workplaces. Our “A Better Box” report published in 2022, highlights a number of important safety considerations for these warehouse spaces, including safe storage practices, optimal ergonomics, mitigating noise exposure, and more.

For all asset types, safety and resiliency are key themes in the v3 Fitwel standard launching for use at the end of 2023. As more and more employees are returning to the office, workplace safety is more important than ever. The following Fitwel strategies, most from the existing standard and a few soon to come in the v3 update, can support employers and developers in prioritizing workplace safety.

Construction Safety

Whether for new project development or as a part of existing site renovations, construction is an inevitable process in the life cycle of all real estate assets. The latest data indicates that construction is one of the most dangerous jobs, making protections for these workers vital. While on-site, facility managers and project developers can enforce site security and ensure adequate lighting and signage for workers, as well as implement noise and air quality control plans. These measures ensure necessary protection for those working in construction to reduce risk of injury and death.

Emergency Preparedness

As all workplaces learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency preparedness saves lives and avoids productivity losses. An effective emergency preparedness plan should clearly outline protective actions for different emergency situations, outline a framework for communication with occupants and employees, and establish an emergency response team. This means considering preparedness and responses to a range of issues from outdoor air quality crises to the loss of electricity. These actions better prepare employees to respond to emergencies, helping to limit casualties and diminish the negative impacts of a disaster.

Certified First Responders

The presence of first responders on site reduces response time to emergency situations, increasing the survivability for victims of accidents or sudden health incidents, such as a heart attack or stroke. A medical emergency can strike at any moment, and ensuring there are trained first aid responders on site, as well as the necessary first aid resources and devices, such as automated external defibrillators, improves the safety and health outcomes of all occupants. This strategy also includes parameters to ensure professionals on site are trained in mental health first aid, which enables them to recognize and respond to the signs of depression, anxiety, suicidality, and abuse. These tools are essential amid the current global mental health crisis (see more on how to address mental health through design here).

Safety Training Plan

Given the focus on safety in the new in v3 Fitwel Standard, the commercial and industrial sites scorecard is debuting a safety training plan strategy. These workplaces typically involve the handling of hazardous materials as well as the use of heavy machinery and equipment, making added measures for employee safety of the utmost importance. Providing safety training and personal protective equipment for employees, as well as guidelines to ensure hazardous chemicals are properly handled and stored can reduce the risk of exposure to harmful substances – the leading cause of work-related injuries.

Workstation Ergonomics

According to OSHA, back injuries account for nearly 20% of all workplace injuries, making ergonomics a top priority for workplace safety. Another strategy arriving with the Fitwel v3 Standard is a workstation ergonomics strategy, as providing access to adjustable and ergonomic accommodations promotes physical activity and alleviates musculoskeletal disorders. These accommodations, ranging from chairs with lumbar support and workstation footrests to fatigue standing mats, reduce levels of physical and psychological workplace stress.

Climate resiliency creates a foundation for safety.

While all of the strategies outlined above are essential in ensuring occupational safety, safety within the workplace is meaningless if the asset itself isn’t secure. As the consequences of climate change continue to mount, building asset resiliency is essential. Fitwel v3 debuts a number of new strategies aimed at strengthening asset resiliency, providing the foundation for workplace safety.

Flood & Fire Prone Zones

As a result of climate change, sea level rise will cause more frequent flooding, and rising temperatures will cause more frequent and destructive wildfires. Ensuring projects are located outside of fire- and flood-prone zones helps reduce risk of workplace experiencing these emergencies. In addition, implementing protection measures, such as replacing mulch or implementing gutter management systems, helps prepare workplaces if these types of emergencies do strike.

Stormwater Management Plan

As previously mentioned, climate change is bringing rising sea levels, more frequent and intense storms, and as a result more frequent flooding. Implementing a stormwater management plan helps to keep occupants and workplaces safe, through the installation of infrastructure that controls stormwater runoff and ensures it remains separate from sewer water. This protects clean water sources from contamination and reduces the risk of water-borne disease infection and spread. A number of elements, from retention ponds and rain gardens, to the use of permeable pavements or cisterns, can help to manage on-site stormwater, keeping disaster at bay.

Support Biodiversity

Implementing measures to preserve local ecosystems prevents biodiversity loss and supports a diverse range of human health and safety measures. Apart from ensuring the coexistence of a wide range of species, a healthy local ecosystem supports exposure to diverse microbiota which strengthens the human immune system and improves surrounding air quality. This strengthens the health, safety, and resiliency of local occupants and communities for whenever the next disaster or pandemic strikes.

Safety as a return to work requirement.

As employers work to lure employees back to the office, amenities and benefits are certainly top of mind. But before those enhancements come to pass, employees must feel safe and secure in their workplace. Interventions that reduce risk of musculoskeletal injuries and limit exposure to dangerous noise levels or chemicals, all help to reduce the rates of fatalities, injuries, and illnesses at work. Furthermore, as the impacts of climate change intensify, in the form of increased temperatures, floods, and storms, asset resiliency is a first layer of protection to promote workplace safety. National Safety Month is an important reminder that implementing these strategies to address safety and resiliency not only protects and revitalizes workplaces, but saves lives.

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