At first glance, your office might look perfectly safe, with everything in order. However, there are countless dangers hidden around the office that could result in injury and costly payout. Here are some easy steps for you to follow to ensure your workplace is as safe as possible.
Ensure there are no slip or trip hazards
Keep the floor clear of boxes and other detritus that people can fall over. If any fluids are spilled, ensure they’re mopped up immediately, and a wet floor sign is placed out. Slipping and tripping are the highest causes of office-based injuries, but also the easiest to avoid. Carpets and other non-slip surfaces are the safest way to ensure that people do not slip on wet floors.
Have a trained first aider on site
You can do everything in your power to ensure that nobody gets hurt, but accidents will always happen. Make sure you have someone with health and safety training on site as much as possible, to deal with situations as they arise.
Follow safe stacking guidelines
Never exceed the load bearing capacity on any of the storage units you have, as units can topple and cause serious injuries. It’s also good practice to ensure that nothing heavy is stored above shoulder height, so it can’t fall on heads or necks. Ensure you have a heavy-lifting policy in place to avoid back injuries that can be costly to the company – it’s just good business practice.
Offer adjustable equipment
To improve the safety and comfort of your employees, ensure that equipment such as desks and chairs can be adjusted to suit the height of the individual. The comfort of the employee will ensure higher efficiency due to less fatigue and protects against long-term sickness as a result of repetitive strain injury or carpal tunnel.
Use optimal lighting
Fluorescent strip lighting in offices can cause eyes to become dry and irritated and can affect focus. Ensure dim general lighting and adjustable desk lamps are used so that individuals can choose their comfortable personal levels. Try to minimize screen glare by positioning monitors away from windows, or using a glare reduction filter. Ensure that staff are taking frequent breaks from their computers to allow their eyes time to relax.
Ensure fire safety
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The risk from a fire in an office is not insignificant, although there are easy steps you can take to reduce the likelihood. Ensure all cabling is in good condition, any exposed wires need to be disposed of immediately. Make certain that any space heaters and computer equipment are checked annually for their electrical safety. It is most important to ensure that all fire doors, extinguishers, and sprinkler equipment is never blocked in case of fire.
Just following these simple steps can greatly improve the safety of your staff while they’re in the office. It is important that clear lines of communication are kept open between the office manager and workers for them to voice any of their concerns with health and safety so that they can be dealt with promptly.
