Office Work Hazards

Popular misconceptions about office jobs are that they are easy, stress-free and safe from dangerous encounters. In fact, desk jobs are more stressful and challenging than labor occupations, due to the amount of mental exertion that is required. According to Washington University's College of Engineering, despite the safe appearance of office environments, there are hazards present in every office setting.

Carbonless Copy Paper

• Keeping your hands clean is a safety precaution.

  Carbonless copy paper is popular in offices because it offers a quick way to create copies of a handwritten document without the use of electronics. Forms are the most common example of this type of paper; they release measurable amounts of formaldehyde. The University of Washington's College of Engineering warns that a person exposed to it may start to experience headaches, skin and eye irritation.

Chemicals

• Adhesives, cleaners, correction fluid, copy products and ink materials are additional sources of hazardous chemicals. They contain ethylene glycol, ammonia, carbon black and small quantities of solvents.

  UW College of Engineering indicates these hazards are easy to avoid by following proper usage procedures, and recommends that employees read all container labels.

Injuries

• Typing, filing and writing are some of the daily tasks an office worker performs repetitively, which is why many employees develop some form of Cumulative Trauma Disorder. A Cumulative Trauma Disorder could be carpel tunnel syndrome, tendonitis and De Quervain's disease.

  Carpel tunnel syndrome is a serious, painful condition; it grows worse if left untreated. It's the sharp, shooting pain that flows up the arm or in the hand, along with the cramping of fingers. Tendonitis is caused by inflamed tendons, and creates incorrect placement of bones and joints. De Quervain's disease inflames the thumb tendons, and has symptoms of burning, numbness and cramping.

Illusory Parasitosis

• Spider mites are tiny, making them hard to notice by the casual observer.

  No office is complete without plants; unfortunately, these plants can sometimes bring unwanted guests: spider mites. Spider mites are small, light in color, and can be found crawling on desktops, in between paper stacks and along the leaves of office plants. Aside from their ability to kill even a large plant, they can help create the panic of Illusory Parasitosis.

  Seeing the fleeting scurry of a spider mite during a stressful workday can lead to small red bumps, or bite marks, that develop along the observer's skin. She starts to itch, and develops a rash. Iowa State University assures this is a common problem office employees face.

  Spider mite extermination is recommended, and "bitten" employees should be encouraged to de-stress. A thorough cleaning of the desk will eliminate allergens that aid illusory parasites, and stress release hand tools will discourage the psychological state that also contributes to the illusory pests.