Office |
Office Safety
People who work in small offices do not
figure prominently in national accident statistics, but
accidents do happen in offices.
Today’s toolbox topic is office safety,
during the next few minutes we will highlight particular
hazards, which may be present in the office, we must
all work together to eliminate them if identified and so
prevent any one of us suffering injury.
General
Office Safety:
v
Do
make workstations comfortable with seating where
necessary. Seats may need to be adjustable to suit the
height of the work table and footrests can reduce
muscular strains;
v
Do
keep your first-aid box fully stocked and appoint
someone to take charge in an emergency and call an
ambulance. If you have part-time workers arrange for the
duty to be shared;
v
Handling, lifting and carrying are
another major cause of injuries. If cabinets, desks or
other heavy or bulky items have to be moved then do take
steps, for example providing a trolley or castors, for
the move to take place without the risk of a back
injury;
Slips, trips and falls
account for most of the accidents in offices many of
them when staff are moving or carrying loads. They
happen because of the condition of floors, poor lighting
or untidiness. Such accidents can easily be prevented
by remembering the following points:
v
Do not
allow trailing leads to create tripping
hazards;
v
Do
clear up spillages quickly;
v
Do
replace or repair torn floor coverings etc;
v
Do
provide handrails on stairways and ensure stairs are
well lit;
v
Do not
block passageways or corridors.
Office
Furniture:
v
Anchor single file cabinets where
possible
Ø
Lower drawers should bear the heaviest
load, never open more than one drawer, always close
drawers when finished
v
Always use approved ladder or stool
v
Never lean back in chair and put your
feet on desk
Office
Supplies:
v
Use stapler, paper cutter, knife with
care
v
Handle sharpened pencils carefully
v
Do not store pointed objects upright on
desk
v
Keep cords off floors and out of aisles
Electrical
Safety:
v
Ensure sufficient socket outlets and
avoid or minimise the use of adapters. Overloaded
sockets can lead to fire hazards
v
Do not use taped joints to connect
cables, replace damaged cables, use proper connectors
v
Carry out visual inspection of plugs and
leads and repair/replace as necessary
v
Switch off equipment before unplugging
and cleaning
v
Do not use and report electrical
equipment not working correctly
v
Know how to deal with an electrical shock
incident
Fire Protection:
v
Flammable items should not be stored in
offices
v
If flammable, must be stored, approved
containers are required
v
Never block access to fire extinguishers
or emergency exits
v
Never use multiple plug outlets
v
Beware of overheating portable heaters
Emergencies:
v
Know exact location of fire fighting
equipment
v
Know procedures for reporting emergencies
v
Know your escape routes
Useful document:
consider reading the following free publication
available on the HSE website
Officewise
[108kb] at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg173.pdf
Links to Information Sources on
Safety & Environment in the Office:
UK HSE Information
on Office Safety
UK HSE information on
Photocopiers
UK HSE research report on Psychosocial risk factors in
Call
Centres
and general HSE advice regarding
Call
Centre Safety
UK HSE on
Slips & Trips UK based IOSH on Teleworking
US based OSHA information on
Computer
Work Stations and
Indoor Air
Quality
US based NIOSH on
Indoor Air Quality
US based information source on
Indoor Air Quality and
Office Work Safety
US based information links on
Indoor
Air Pollution Green
Meetings - US EPA information on opportunities for conference planners
and suppliers that can help reduce pollution, energy use, and water use at a
conference.
US based OSHA technical manual on
Indoor
Air Quality Investigations,
Ventilation,
eTool
on Computer Workstations
Australian information on
Office Safety and
Ergonomics
and
Office Copying Machines,
Sick Building
Syndrome, General
Office Safety
Australian
Virtual
Office Safety
Australian based
Call
Centre Safety information
Canadian information on
Indoor Air Quality and
Office Ergonomics New Zealand checklist for VDU
Safety
Greening
the Office
Call Centres - Australian Guide to Health
and Safety in the Call Centre Industry
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