Friday the 13th: our tips for an accident-free workplace
5min read
11/07/2018
Are you a tad superstitious? Then Friday the 13th will not be a date you look forward to. To give you more peace of mind, below we show you how to avoid accidents at work. In addition, together we look at the best steps to follow to ship your parcels safely. That way, your order will arrive at its destination beautifully without any damage. Stress on Friday the 13th? From now on, that will be a thing of the past!
1. This is how to avoid accidents in the workplace
► Wear protective clothing
Everything starts with yourself… So protect your hands, eyes, ears and airways with the right accessories (including goggles and dust masks). As our hands often have the hardest time of all, use this selection guide to check which safety gloves are suitable for your work.
► Think carefully when you see a ladder
We can’t help you keep black cats away from you, unfortunately. But we can give you tips on how to avoid accidents with a ladder:
- Place your ladder on a flat, dry and horizontal surface.
- Make sure your ladder has non-slip feet.
- Is your ladder in front of a door? Lock that door.
- Move the ladder when you need to reach more than one arm’s length to work.
- Never stand on the bracket, it only serves as a handhold. The maximum standing height is the platform.
► Avoid falls on the work floor
An accident is sometimes in a small corner… or on a dirty floor. Prevent slips and trips by keeping your warehouse and workplace clean and tidy. You can’t do without the necessary cleaning cloths, polishes and bin bags. It is also best to mark off a mopped floor with a warning sign for wet surfaces. That will undoubtedly prove its worth! While you are cleaning, you should also separate your waste correctly. There are appropriate bins and containers for this purpose.
]2. Ship your parcels in complete safety
► Choose a sturdy box
Shipping your products safely and in one piece starts with choosing a sturdy box. As you can read in this article, there are 3 types of cardboard quality. Do you really want to play it safe? Then go for a box made of triple corrugated cardboard.
► Protect with the right packaging material
To protect your products from shocks and scratches you need protective material: from bubble wrap to paper pads and antistatic bags. In this ABC of protective material, you will find all the options to ship your products with peace of mind. Another worry less on Friday the 13th.
► Close your box securely with the best packaging tape
Closing a box with tape seems very simple. However, there are a few things to consider. It is best to stick tape at a temperature of +10 °C or more, on a dry and dust-free surface. The best sealing is achieved by sticking the tape in an H-shape. Feel free to check out this article for many more tips on choosing, sticking and storing your tape.
► Communicate clearly with labels
Wait a bit longer before giving your box to the courier service! Be sure to stick the right warning labels on your parcel (e.g. for fragile loads). Then both the carrier and the recipient will know to treat your parcel with extra care.
Safety indicators can be another extra. These indicators turn red if they have been subjected to strong shocks, or if your parcel has been tipped over. So for extremely fragile products, this is indispensable. Otherwise, the curse of Friday the 13th might still become a reality – and we don’t want that, do we?
3. What you definitely need to know about Friday the 13th
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- As to its origin, not everyone agrees. Traditionally, this date is associated with the Last Supper. Thirteen people took part in this (Jesus and his 12 apostles). Jesus was also crucified on a Friday.
- Another explanation goes back to Norse mythology: the evil god Loki appeared uninvited as the thirteenth guest at a feast. After he killed Balder, the god of joy, the earth was plunged into deep mourning.
- Recent research would suggest that Friday the 13th is a date that came over from the US. A US officer decided in 1881 to provide a thirteen-course dinner for thirteen people every 13th of the month: the 'Thirtheen Club'. By doing so, he wanted to go against the popular belief that thirteen people at a table brings bad luck. The press picked up on this and one thing led to another...
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- Every year there is at least one Friday the 13th and this can be up to three.
- Some hotels don't have a thirteenth floor and on some planes you won't encounter a thirteenth row. In the Italian lotto, the number 13 does not appear.
- In some French restaurants you can hire a quatorzième hire: a person who will come and sit at your table for a fee if the party consists of only thirteen people.
- Friday the 13th is not a day of doom and gloom in all countries. In Greece and Spain, it is Tuesday the 13th. Then again, in Italy, Friday the 17th is when everyone wants to avoid black cats and ladders.
