Pre-Start Stretching and Warm-Up Exercise Before Work

Journeys in Construction

Pre-Start Stretching and Warm-Up Exercise Before Work

Construction guy stretching

Nearly every construction company begins each day with an obligatory pre-start safety talk. Consider having your team add a stretch/warm-up routine also. This can be part of a holistic health and safety program.

I don’t see many companies doing group exercise yet, but it’s becoming more common in some areas.

It’s good to stretch and warm-up, even if you’re not doing physical work. Aside from personal benefits, it can also be a helpful team building exercise to get people active and engaged as the workday starts.


My Experience

This video shows part of a morning exercise routine that a Japanese company does along with classical piano music and a leader calling out the moves. I worked with them in Papua New Guinea for a while and noticed a lot of interesting ways that they do things.

Recently, I ran a project and did something like that with my team, but without the music and choreography. Just a few minutes of basic stretches and jumping jacks.

In the USA, I’ve only seen a few teams do this on the job, so it’s unusual. I found the exercise a bit challenging to get people involved in at first, but after we got over the awkwardness, it seemed to be a beneficial use of time.

Benefits of Stretching and Warm-Up Exercise Before Work

ErgoPlus offers a free ebook: Safety Leader’s Guide to Workplace Stretching and Warm-Up Programs

They say;

“Stretching is a vital part of a healthy fitness regimen. Pre-shift stretching and warm-up exercises reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries by reducing fatigue, improving muscular balance and posture, and improving muscle coordination.”

Also;

“Companies across the U.S. are facing an employee engagement problem. This is partially due to the fact that many employees don’t believe the company they work for has their best interest in mind.

So let’s call them “team members” because they are a part of your team. And let’s make sure their bodies and minds are ready for work – after all, taking care of your people is also taking care of your business – and that’s priceless.”

 

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