How many times in a week do you talk about OFFICE SAFETY and see the RISKS that can hurt!

I love corporations and businesses that think that if we cover office safety once in  a life time  and we are all good to go, or because the teams work in an OFFICE there are no safety risks to speak of compared to the teams in the field---------------wrong!

When you do a walk about, or site inspection or just start the office meeting with a SAFETY MOMENT!, what items of risk are you noting or seeing in your areas?

Potential Hazards

Below is a list of common office hazards.  If you see any of them, take action to solve the problem.  These are the most common hazards, but you should also stay alert for others not listed here.

Furniture

Protruding Keys left in a file cabinet lock.  A passerby might bump into them and get a painful poke.  Remove keys after using a file cabinet.

"Jaws Drawers" - File cabinet and desk drawers are known to "bite" fingers.  Avoid being bitten by drawers by using the handles.

Open Drawers - Somehow there's always someone who has a fatal attraction to open drawers and will bump into them when you least expect it.  Opening several file drawers at a time can also tip over a cabinet.  Keep drawers closed when not in use.  Open only one drawer at a time.

Obstacle Courses - When furniture is badly arranged, it can form an obstacle course for people trying to move about the office.  Arrange furniture to allow people to move around freely and easily.

Passageways and Storage

Blockages - Large objects or groups of people standing around blocking doorways and passageways increase the likelihood of bumps and knocks due to the blocked vision and the tight space.  Keep doorways and passageways clear at all times, especially emergency exits.  Make sure that any area where people walk up and down is at least 3 feet wide.  DO NOT place objects close to fire extinguishers, fire hydrants, or fire alarms.

Climbing - Reaching for high objects while standing on a stack of boxes or a chair with wheels is dangerous.  Always use a suitable ladder or step stool.

Heavy Objects - These are dangerous if they fall.  Store heavy objects near floor level.

Toxic Chemicals - Do not store toxic chemicals in or near the office.

Swing Doors and Corners - You can't guess when someone might be approaching the other side of a closed door or around a corner.  Do not open doors suddenly.  When working behind a closed door, lock it.  Approach corners and doors cautiously.

Running - This should be strictly a lunch-time or after-work activity for keeping fit.  It has no place in an office where it can cause close encounters of an embarrassing or even painful kind.  Walk, don't run.  Better to arrive late than without your two front teeth.

Floors

Extension Cords and other wires snaking loosely across the floor can cause not only injury, but also the abrupt shutting down of electrical equipment such as computers.  Clamp electric wires securely to the floor.

Litter - Small items left lying on the floor have been known to cause some dreadful accidents.  While somebody slipping on a banana peel may be funny in a comedy film, tripping on a pencil in the office may not seem so humorous.  Food dropped on the floor is unhygienic as well as hazardous and should be disposed of in kitchen area garbage cans only.  Anything dropped on the floor should be removed immediately.

Work Methods and Tools

Using the Wrong Tools - Fingers are not suitable tools for jobs such as removing staples.  Use the right tools for the job.

Not Using Safety Glasses - Eyesight is precious.  Always wear safety glasses when working with hand tools.

Sharp and Pointed Objects - Even paper has sharp edges, as many office workers know from experience.  Scissors, knives, pencils, letter openers, and paper cutters are some other common sharp objects in the office.  Use and store sharp objects carefully.  Sheath them before storing in a drawer.  Point them away from you on your desk.  Do not use razor blades as cutters.

Unreported Injuries - Reporting injuries reduces the chances of the same injury happening to someone else in the future.  Report accidents to help make the office safer for others.

Kitchen Area

Clean Up Your Spills - Dispose of food waste in the proper container.

Microwave Oven - Cover food in the oven to prevent spatter.  Do not put metal, paper, or styrofoam in the oven.  Keep all flammable objects clear of it.

Hot Objects - Use a cloth or mittens to handle hot objects.

Kitchen Area Housekeeping - Do not stack up glasses too high.  Store knives and can openers in the right place.  Wrap broken glass in paper labeled "broken glass" and place it in the kitchen garbage can.  All waste food must be thrown only in the kitchen garbage cans.  Keep the floor dry to prevent slips.

Equipment and Tools

Using tools incorrectly can be hazardous and it can be dangerous to use tools that are not properly maintained. 

Offices use a lot of electrical equipment.  When using it, you should watch out for any obvious signs that something is wrong, such as loose wires, faulty connections, excessive heat, smoke, or sparks.

Never tamper with any electrical equipment.  If repair is needed, always seek help from the qualified personnel in our office services department.

Computers, printers, and other electrical equipment should be switched off at the socket.

Do not overload the socket outlet.  If uncertain, check with your manager.

Use the proper adapters for two-pin plugs.

Safety glasses are to be worn while using certain hand tools.  Never fail to use them.

How to Type without Tears

If your fingers do a lot of walking, the right position of your hands and body keeps your muscles and back stress-free and flexible.  You'll be more comfortable and your hands won't get overworked.  Follow these guidelines:

Sit up straight, facing the computer screen straight on.

Hold your head at a slight downward tilt to avoid straining your neck and shoulder muscles.

Keep your hands and wrists level and straight while typing.

Touch your keys lightly by keeping your wrists and fingers relaxed.

Keep your feet flat and pointed toward the computer.

Make sure the computer screen is adjusted at a comfortable angle, is neither too bright nor too dim, and is properly focused.

Be Good to Your Back

Lifting Objects:

DO hold the object you are lifting close to your body.  Let go if you start to drop it.

DO NOT bend, twist, or pivot at your waist.

DO NOT lift a heavy object above your chest.

DO NOT use a jerking action when lifting.

DO NOT lean forward with a weight in your hands.

At Your Desk:

DO put a cushion in your chair to support your lower back if your chair has no lumbar support.

DO support your arm while holding the telephone.  Put your elbow on your desk or chair arm rest.

DO hold reading material comfortably or use a reading support to avoid slouching.

DO wear good quality rubber-soled shoes.

DO NOT twist your body in your chair to reach for a file or piece of equipment.

DO NOT hold a telephone receiver between your shoulder and cheek.

DO NOT overstretch to reach a file.

What to do in Case of Fire!

Know the following:

The locations of fire extinguishers nearest to your workplace.

Your nearest emergency exit.

The alarm signal - the continuous ringing of alarm bells on every floor of the building.

If you discover a fire:

Activate the nearest fire alarm and alert those around you by shouting or other effective means.

Evacuate via the nearest exit.  (See Office Emergency Map near exit doors.)

If the fire is small, try to use a fire extinguisher to put it out.  Do so only if you're not risking anyone's safety, including your own.

If you hear the fire alarm horn:

When the alarm horn sounds, all in the building must evacuate immediately.

Evacuation procedures:

Don't panic.  Look for the nearest exit sign and evacuate.

Close all doors along the escape route, including doors to stairways, rooms, etc. to isolate or enclose the fire and prevent the spread of smoke or fire to other floors.

Assembly point - As soon as you leave the building, go to the designated assembly area (see the Emergency Evacuation and Operations Plan) and report to the floor wardens so that s/he knows you are safely out of the building.  Do not disperse or reenter the building until instructed to do so.

Oddly office become STUMPED to think about safety topics that can hurt them or impact their jobs or put them at risk so here are some more suggested topics

Cords running across an office can be a tripping hazard and should be avoided.

Materials such as boxes should be stacked no higher than 18 inches beneath a sprinkler to ensure the sprinkler’s effectiveness.

Ensure space heaters are approved for commercial use, and never leave them unattended or near any combustible materials.

Boxes should not block an exit path.

Never leave file cabinets open and unattended; someone could trip over or bump into them.

Paper cutters should be guarded and closed when not in use.

All food should be properly stored; studies show 400 times more germs are present on a desktop than on the average toilet seat.

Keyboards should be adjustable to improve comfort and reduce strain.

Electrical hazards are one of the leading causes of office fires; never overload an outlet.

Keep papers clear from devices such as hot plates, and never leave them on while out of the office.

Coffee cups should have a lid to reduce spills.

Chairs should be ergonomic and include arm rests and an adjustable back.

In a single simple  office environment there are well over 113 topic you can cover!  And prevention in safety starts with Assessment so you can see the REAL items in front of you. When assessing the tasks and planning and introducing risk controls

Arrange for regular workplace inspections and pay particular attention to –

Still cant see the RISKs no problem Im still seeing your forest inspite of your trees! 

Glass doors should have some conspicuous design, either painted or decal, about 4? feet above the floor and centered on the door so people will not walk into it. Frosted glass in doors gives a view through for accident prevention, but still preserves privacy. The see thru feature prevents collisions.

 If it is necessary that a door be solid, the hazardous area that the door swings over can be marked by yellow and black tape or painted a bright color, or the path of the swinging door can be outlined by colored plastic circles. On carpeted floors, a quarter or half-circle of different colored carpet can be used.

Employees should not face windows, unshielded lamps, or other sources of glare Many factors associated with poor illumination are contributing causes of office accidents. Some of these causes are: direct glare, reflected glare from the work and harsh shadows. Excessive visual fatigue may be an element leading toward accidents. Accidents may also be prompted by the delayed eye adaption a person experiences when moving from bright to dark. Some accidents which are attributed to the individuals "carelessness" can be traced to difficulty in seeing.

 Fans in office should be placed where they cannot fall on anybody and they should be secured in place. Duplicating processes should not be confined to a separate small room, unless it is vented to the outside

Where possible, outlets (receptacles) should be installed to eliminate extension cords. If cords MUST cross the floors, cover them with rubber channels designed for this purpose.

 Caution should be exercised in the use of poorly maintained or unsafe, poor quality coffee makers, radios, lamps, hotplates etc., provided by or used by employees, particularly in out-of-the-way locations. Such appliances create fire and shock hazards.

Switches should be provided, either in the equipment or in the cords, so that it is not necessary to pull the plugs to shut off the power.

 Electric key switches should be avoided because people try to key the lock with hair pins and paper clips.

Extension cords should not rest on steam pipes or other metallic surfaces. Better still, do not use extension cords.

 Outlets should not only be located under desks to eliminate tripping hazards but they should also be placed where they will not be accidently kicked or used as a foot rest. When they loosen or wear, outlets can become sources of electric shock.

Where materials are stored on shelves, the heavy objects should be on the lower shelves.

 The casters on swivel chairs should be on at least a 20 inch diameter base, and a 22 inch base is preferred.

 Drawers on desk and file cabinets should have safety stops.

 Make sure the paper cutter has a proper guard.

Glass tops on desks and tables crack and cause safety hazards. Durable synthetic surfaces are free from this trouble and should be used instead of glass.

Rolling ladders and stands used for reaching high storage should have brakes that operate automatically when weight is applied to them.

Because the major category of office accidents is slips and falls, running in offices, particulary for elevators, should be prohibited.

Collisions at doors can be prevented if people do not stand directly in front of the door, but out of the path of its swing when they go to open it.

 Do not carry stacks of materials on stairs; use the elevator.

Broken glass should be swept up immediately. It should not be placed loose in a waste paper basket but it should be carefully wrapped in heavy paper and marked "Broken Glass". Glass which shatters into fine pieces should be blotted up with damp paper towels.

 Only one file drawer should be opened at a time to prevent the cabinet from toppling over. File cabinets should be bolted together or otherwise secured to prevent tipping.

 Desk or files should never be moved by office personnel; they should be moved by maintenance people using special dollies or trucks.

 Do not pile boxes, papers, books, or other heavy objects on top of file cabinets; this could cause cabinet to tip and the materials to avalanche on to the employee.

Never store pencils in a glass on the desk with points upward.

 Razor blades, thumb tacks, and other sharp objects should not be thrown loosely into drawers. They should be carefully boxed or blades and points kept stuck in foamed polystyrene blocks.