As business owners, contractors and wall and ceiling professionals should be putting the health of their employees at the forefront of all decisions. Your company’s success is dependent directly on the type of workers you not only attract but also retain.

Oftentimes, the simplest way to retain workers is by just showing that you care about their health and happiness. Associated Builders and Contractors has a very beneficial Total Human Health Initiative Tool Kit available, which could be a great resource for leaders.

The tool kit has been designed to help members focus and improve the complete health, wellness and livelihood of their employees. The resources within the program were designed to provide simple and effective means and methods to build and customize any member program, regardless of the size of your organization.

Although there are many different ways we can keep our employees healthy, including mentally and socially, one of the biggest factors is physical wellness. As owners, ensuring employees properly care for their bodies and remain in optimal health is beneficial to them and beneficial to how your business operates.

Some of the easiest ways to do this are by encouraging the balance of physical activity, nutrition and sleep. Help your employees focus on proper nutrition for their body, ensure they stay hydrated, promote physical activity outside of work and encourage rest for restoration—all of these are basic keys to having overall physical health and well-being.

Working Safely in the Heat

Currently, we’re in the hottest part of the summer months. Now more than ever, it’s critical to ensure we’re keeping our employees safe and healthy.

NRCA has provided a training module that introduces data on the effects of heat on roofers—but I believe this is extremely beneficial for all construction workers doing manual labor outdoors. The course has tips on how to prevent heat-related illnesses, as well as policies surrounding heat stress.

It’s essential that you educate yourself and your workers on the seriousness of working in the heat and the body’s physical and mental response to being overheated.

Here are some additional tips you can give your workers in the meantime:

• Take breaks and find a shaded place to cool down;
• Avoid eating hot, heavy foods;
• Drink one cup of cool water every 20 minutes (even if you’re not thirsty);
• Wear light, loose clothing;
• Avoid caffeinated drinks.

The heat affects us all differently. While one person might feel OK, another may not. It’s essential for owners and managers to stay on top of how the entire team is feeling. In addition, a person’s physical condition (age, weight and possible health concerns) has a role in how they react to extreme heat.

So, let’s work harder to keep our employees healthy all year! Do you have any ideas on how to keep your workers and co-workers healthy? We want to hear about your best work practices. Email our editor, John Wyatt, at wyattj@bnpmedia.com.