As part of our Safe In Stone Campaign we are covering a range of Health & Safety aspects, to provide guidance aimed at ensuring the wellbeing of workers within the stone industry is the best it can possibly be.
This extends beyond just the common recurring issues you will read about, such as silicosis, HAVs or musculoskeletal conditions. Working in a factory, the nature of work can mean you are often too busy to think about what you eat and maintain a healthy diet. To support employers, employees and their families, we’ve put together a quick guide to provide some simple tips to help you eat healthy while on the job.
In the Workshop
Are you an all-day-snacker, or a mid-morning tea break sort? Whilst in the workshop, try and bring snacks that are easy to have on-the-go, don’t need to go in the fridge, and aren’t complicated to eat. Foods such as nuts and dried fruits, whole grain crackers, oats energy bars are a great option. They’re low in sugar, easy to eat, and tasty! Alternatively, chop up some vegetable sticks every morning, and snack on carrot, cucumber and pepper, or some fresh apples and bananas for a natural energy boost. Typically, a construction worker is recommended to consume around 2,500+ calories per day.
Water – a workshop staple
The job of a stone fabricator can be incredibly physical and in summer months can become very hot. It’s crucial to always have a bottle of water to hand throughout the day. Working in high heat means you sweat more, and your body needs more hydration to replace lost fluids. Typically, a construction worker should drink around 2 litres of water per day. It may be tempting to drink sugary drinks, or caffeinated drinks for an energy boost, but these are a lot less healthy, and don’t provide the same benefits as water does. However, if you do feel a bit more adventurous, spend your morning break trying out some different herbal teas or fruit-infused water – delicious!
Lunch on the run
It’s good practice to prepare your lunches in advance to make sure that you are giving yourself a truly nutritious meal in the middle of the day. For breakfast, you could make overnight oats, adding extra nuts or fruit. For lunch you could prepare easy salads with meat for extra protein. As well as meat, look at bulking out your salad with other protein-heavy foods like beans, pulses, eggs, pasta and more! Remember, you don’t want to be spending hours on your lunch, so something like a wrap is a handy option to take to work with you. Some people love to make meals in batches, like stir fries, curries or stews – these are easy to store and reheat.
A balanced diet
Obviously, it’s not always practical to prepare meals in advance, and sometimes you’ll have to make quick lunch decisions. Grab a whole grain bread sandwich, a pack of nuts, a fresh salad, some fruit or a yoghurt. Your local corner shop will most likely have a good selection of options – just avoid too many tempting chocolates, crisps and fizzy drinks!
Not too much, not too little
Whilst it’s vital to fill up, you don’t want to overeat. Portion control is vital to ensure you eat the correct amounts without overdoing it. Use smaller containers to make your lunches, eat slowly – the faster you eat, the more risk of getting indigestion!
Working long shifts?
The afternoon slump is real, and whilst fabricating and fitting, its key to avoid this. Go for protein-rich options like egg – this will keep you energised for longer periods of time. Foods such vegetables and whole grains are incredibly rich in fibre and help your body to feel full – a good prevention to overeating. Don’t leave the gap between meals too long, this makes you feel too hungry, so when you do eat – you end up eating lots because you feel hungrier than usual!
Fabricators and fitters are super busy and lead very physically taxing lives. This means that maintaining a healthy food schedule can promote wellness, positive mental mindset and increase your levels of energy, as well as boosting your long-term health! It’s a win-win!
As your go-to fabricator supplier, you can view all of our activity in our Safe In Stone Campaign, a hub of knowledge and resource aimed to support you and provide you with all the information you need to make your workshop and processes as safe as possible. Call us on +44 (0)1482 620400, visit our website on stonegatetooling.com for more insights, or pop to our Innovation Hub, where you can watch demonstrations, take part in training, or meet the team!
