12 Days of Christmas Workplace Safety

As we gear up for the festive season, it’s the perfect time to spread cheer—and a little extra caution. Welcome to our 12 Days of Christmas Workplace Safety series! Each day, we’ll unwrap a simple, practical safety tip designed to keep our team healthy, mindful, and protected during one of the busiest times of the year.

On the first day of Christmas...

Review your workplace for end-of-year risks and fix hazards before they course harm.

A quick walk-through, clearer communication, and small adjustments can prevent accidents and keep everyone healthy heading into the new year.

On the second day of Christmas...

Keep decorations fun and safe: Don't block exits, secure cables, and avoid overloading power boards.

On the third day of Christmas...

Plan a safe celebration. Set behaviour expectations, provide plenty of food and water, and organise safe ways home.

On the fourth day of Christmas...

Drive safely! Check your work vehicle for maintenance needs, plan your route, avoid phone use and never drive tired or after drinking alcohol!

On the fifth day of Christmas...

Stay hydrated!

As temperatures rise, it’s easy to forget to drink enough water. Staying hydrated helps maintain focus, energy, and overall wellbeing. To remind yourself to drink more water, keep a water bottle nearby, set reminders on your phone, and make it more appealing by adding natural flavours like lime, lemon, or mint.

On the sixth day of Christmas...

Enjoy party food in moderation.

The festive season is a time to enjoy great food, but we can be more aware of what we are eating. For your next work celebration, balance party pies and sweets with fresh fruit, veggie sticks, wholegrain crackers. You could add in protein options like hummus, cheese, eggs or lean meats to provide more filling options. Plan for all dietary types to ensure everyone can participate. And finally, enjoy the good things, but do so in moderation!

On the seventh day of Christmas...

Be aware of sun exposure at work. For outdoor workers, regular sun exposure is part of the job, but so is protecting skin from harmful UV and reducing the risk of sunburn, heat stress and long‑term skin damage. Simple tips to reduce sun exposure include:

• Use sunscreen and apply often.

• Ensure long-sleeved clothing, hats and sunglasses are part of your workwear.

• Ensure shade is available on all worksites

• Include sun safety discussions in your team talks.

  
  

On the eighth day of Christmas...

After a long year and a busy time, we are talking about workplace fatigue! Long hours, tight deadlines and the festive rush can all add up, leaving people tired, less focused and more likely to make mistakes or get injured.

A few simple ways workplaces can help:

• Encourage regular breaks.

• Promote health routines - consistent sleep, movement, hydration and nutrition.

• Schedule realistic roster and shift times

• Create a safe space for staff to discuss concerns.

  
  

On the ninth day of Christmas...are Christmas carols too loud? Or not loud enough?

Protect your hearing at work! Long term exposure to loud noise can slowly damage hearing, affect communication and increase safety risks on site.

Aim to reduce noise where possible, use the right hearing protection and get your hearing checked regularly.

On the tenth day of Christmas, we are talking coal and lung health!

For those that have been on the naughty list this year, Santa may leave you coal in your stocking. But for workers in coal and similar industries ongoing exposure to dust can increase the risk of serious lung conditions over time. Strong controls and regular health monitoring are important, and Paragon Health Solutions is here to assist with your Coal Board Medical and Spirometry testing.

From the team at Paragon Health Solutions we wish you a wonderful and safe Christmas season!

We are here to assist you with your workplace health assessments. Please reach out to our team to discuss how we can assist you on 0475 468 310.