Warehouses are busy places full of potential hazards and the roles tend to be physically and mentally demanding. In terms of physical stressors, sore feet and swollen legs can occur after standing for long periods. Slips, trips and falls are also common, alongside back pain.
In terms of mental wellbeing, warehouse work can be stressful. And as stress is bad for the body, it’s important to take the time to look after your mind and your body. Here are seven health and wellbeing tips for warehouse workers to take care of your mind and body.
- Easy Lower Back Exercises
- Stretches to Reduce Risk of Repetitive Strain Injury
- Tips for Maintaining Good Mental Wellbeing
- Invest in Appropriate Footwear
Easy Lower Back Exercises
Exercising the lower back to strengthen it can help reduce lower back pain as well as prevent it. These exercises can also strengthen the core, leg and arm muscles, which is good for your general health.
Bridge
To do this exercise, you can place a mat or towel on the ground.
- Lie on the ground with your knees bent, placing your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Your arms should be by your sides.
- Press your feet into the floor, keeping your arms by your sides.
- Raise your buttocks off the ground until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
- Hold for a few seconds.
- Lower your buttocks to the floor and rest for a few seconds.
- Repeat.
Knee-to-Chest Stretch
A knee-to-chest stretch can help elongate the lower back and relieve tension and pain. You’ll also need to place a mat or towel on the floor to do this exercise.
- Lie on the floor on your back.
- Bend your knees, keeping both feet flat on the floor.
- Pull one knee toward the chest and hold it there with both hands for five seconds.
- Return your knee to the starting position.
- Repeat exercise on the other leg.
Stretches to Reduce Risk of Repetitive Strain Injury
If you think you may be suffering from repetitive strain injury (RSI), you’ll need to speak to your doctor and your employer as you may need to make adjustments to your job to recover.
In the meantime, these exercises may reduce symptoms if you’re suffering from RSI in your hands.
One-Arm Wrist Stretch
- Reach your right arm out in front of you with your palm facing away from you and fingers pointing down. Ensure your shoulders are down and relaxed.
- Grab the tip of all four fingers with your left hand and gently pull them toward your chest.
- Hold for 30 seconds to a minute and release.
- Then flip your hand so your palm is facing you with fingers still pointing down.
- Hold all four fingers with your left hand and point your fingertips toward your body to stretch the top of your wrist. Hold for 30 seconds to a minute.
- Change your hands over and repeat.
Wrist Rolls
- Create a soft fist with each hand.
- Roll your wrists in circles 10 times in each direction.
Shoulder Rolls
- Roll your shoulders forward and up as if you’re trying to squeeze your ears with your shoulders.
- Hold them there for a moment and then slide your shoulders back and down.
- Repeat five times.
Tips for Maintaining Good Mental Wellbeing
No matter the industry or role you work in, everyone experiences stress at work from time-to-time. This can take a toll on your mental wellbeing. But by setting time aside to work on your wellbeing when you return home from work, you should see an improvement in your stress levels.
Don’t Bring Work Home
After a busy day at work, you may find it hard to forget about it and your mind may start to fill with everything you need to do the next day. One of the best ways to tackle this so you can relax at home is to write a to-do list for the next day before you leave work.
It’s not enough to just write what you need to do; you need a strategy outlining how you’ll accomplish each task to reduce stress, even if the to-do list is very long. With a plan in place, your mind will be free to focus on being present at home.
Foot Soak
A foot soak is beneficial for soothing aching feet after a long day’s work and a great way to relax and unwind. All you need to do is fill a water basin with warm water and leave your feet to soak for 20 minutes.
For extra benefits, add Epsom bath salts to the water. These salts are widely available and contain magnesium which is good for aching muscles. You could also add relaxing essential oils, such as lavender or chamomile, to help you unwind even more.
Invest in Appropriate Footwear
Wearing appropriate footwear for your role is also part of health and wellbeing. Without the right shoes for the job, your feet won’t be protected and this may lead to injury. For warehouse work, footwear made with heavy-duty materials and soles offers the best protection against a variety of hazards.
Find Out More About Warehouse Safety
Taking steps at home to reduce the chances of a workplace injury is only half the battle. For example, injuries such as falling objects are more common for warehouse pickers. That’s why it’s vital all staff understand the importance of warehouse safety.
Although accidents can inevitably happen, taking steps to reduce the occurrence and the extent of injury is vital. This means investing in the correct footwear, such as steel-toe capped boots and shoes with slip-resistant outsoles, as well as using all the correct PPE, providing staff training and being aware of all dangers.
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