Office Safety Guidelines

Many people assume that because they work in an office environment they are not at risk from workplace hazards. However, office work has its own risks to health and safety. These guidelines identify hazards in the office and steps that you can take to reduce those risks.

Slips, Trips and Falls in the Office

• The majority of slips, trips and falls in the office occur without injury or even comment. However, they can cause a sprained ankle or wrist or even a major injury should someone fall against furniture or an open file cabinet drawer.

  To protect yourself and your colleagues, check office carpets for raised edges or wrinkles. Make sure that wires and cables are not stretched across walkways; if they must, install rubber guides that house cables and allow for foot traffic. Make sure that boxes and files are stored away and not kept in passageways where people need to walk.

The Ergonomic Office

• Ergonomic hazards cause injury to the muscles, tendons and bones over time. Poor posture and repetitive motion create most of these problems. Poor posture is not just whether you slouch in your chair. Your posture can be affected by the height of your desk and the placement of your keyboard and monitor. Ergonomic office chairs can help alleviate problems.

  Have a trained analyst examine the office ergonomics at your place of work. If that is not possible, ensure that your chair gives good support, particularly in the lower back region. Sit up straight in the chair, then position your keyboard and monitor so they are both at a comfortable location for typing and viewing. To avoid eyestrain and repetitive injury, take regular breaks from typing and watching the monitor; even just looking around the office for a minute every 15 minutes or so can help. Get up and go for a walk around the office or outside regularly as well.

  The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries has a comprehensive document on workspace ergonomics on its web site. (Refer to the Resources section.)

Environmental Hazards in the Office

• Many offices, particularly those in older buildings, suffer from poor air quality. Heating and ventilation systems that are not regularly maintained can reduce the air quality, resulting in headaches, respiratory problems and, in the worst cases, diseases such as Legionnaires' disease. Older buildings may be prone to mold on damp walls, which can cause spores to be released into the air. New buildings can have odors and fumes in the air for some time after walls are painted or new carpets laid.

  Be aware of your body. If you are getting regular headaches or you feel uncomfortable while at work, the air quality could be poor. Ventilate with open windows if you can to see if it helps to relieve the problem. If you do suspect poor air quality, complain to your manager; it's your health at risk.

Safety Planning and Preparedness

• Is your office prepared to deal with hazards and incidents? Is there an evacuation plan in case of fire or other emergency? In larger offices, is there a register of who is in the building and a plan to make sure everyone is out of the building after an evacuation?

  A great way to make sure the workplace remains safe is to establish a near-miss reporting system and an accident investigation procedure. In the near-miss report, anyone that suffers a minor incident such as a trip or fall reports it to a supervisor, even if there was no injury. Regular reporting of such incidents can identify regular patterns and problem areas so they can be resolved before an injury does occur. A thorough investigation of accidents that do result in injury must investigate the root cause of an incident so that effective steps are taken to educate the workforce or to resolve any problem for the future.