Office Safety Do’s and Don’ts

Office Safety Do’s and Don’ts

Office Safety Do’s and Don’ts

Office safety do’s and don’ts: Providing safe work environment is the foremost responsibility of employer and maintaining safety discipline in workplace is the moral duty of employees. Hazard identification and assurance of control measures is the key to prevent accidents. Maintaining office work environment healthy and safe is essential for the wellbeing of employees and thus appropriate training and awareness on different safe practices to control the potential hazards in the office workplace by following simple Do’s and Don’ts of office safety can prevent accidents.

While the office does not seem like an accident-prone area compared to outdoor workplaces with machinery and equipment, here you can find the list of hazards in the office and the best dos and don'ts to manage risks in your routine office work.

Hazards in Office workplace

1. Wet floor and slippery tiles during cleaning activity
2. Damaged wheel of desk chairs or damaged furniture
3. Inaccessible material and poor desk ergonomics
4. Computer screen radiation
5. Electricity
6. Tripping hazard due to improper installation of temporary cable or materials on the ground.
7. Hard auto-shut off doors
8. Poor concentration and use of the mobile phone when going up and down the stairs.
9. Walking while reading
10. Work pressure fatigue and stress
11. Sick colleague and biological hazard
12. Natural calamities such as earthquake
13. Violence in the office
14. Manual handling
15. Combustible material such as papers

Risk in office work

1. Slips and falls from wet floors, desk chairs and staircases
2. Falling material due to improper stacking or lack of concentration.
3. Fingers may caught-in-between hard auto shut-off doors.
4. Eye stress, fatigue, and stress due to the computer screen.
5. Ergonomic disorders due to prolonged improper body posture or repeated work action.
6. Work-related musculoskeletal and upper limb disorders due to repeated work.
7. Electric shock from exposure to damaged cable or faulty equipment.
8. Infections due to exposure to biological hazards due to sick colleague.
9. Ambiguity and violence in the office may cause physical injury.
10. There is risk of fire due to presence of combustible material and electrical short-circuit

Office Safety Do’s and Don’ts

To control over office workplace hazards and to minimize the risk at ALARP level, employees must follow following simple safe practices to prevent accidents or long terms health disorders.

Do’s

1. Maintain proper housekeeping, it greatly reduces workplace hazards
2. Always keep aisles and pathways clear from clutter
3. Ensure appropriate light and ventilation.
4. Maintain proper body postures to prevent ergonomics disorders.
5. Ensure ergonomic instructions and measures such as providing adjustable and comfort furniture, keep your feet always on floor while sitting on desk chair, follow 20-20-20 rule for eyes to relax from strain, ensure correct angle of computer key boards and distance of mouse to prevent ergonomic disorder of neck, shoulder and hand wrist.
6. Maintain smooth and effective function of auto-close door to avoid sudden and fast shut off doors. It helps to prevent hit or caught in between injury.
7. Segregate material into relevant areas for easy access, use tagging system and ensure proper stacking at elevated area to prevent fall of loose material such as paper files.
8. Always fill cupboard draws from bottom to avoid toppling
9. Use stepladder to reach elevated area
10. Clean all spills immediately, barricade area and post signs
11. On slippery surface, post signs for notification or safety alert
12. Use carpets and other antiskid surface material to prevent slip and fall risk.
13. Know fire extinguishers operation and location
14. Mark and keep fire exit and escape routes clear for access/ exit
15. Always use handrails while moving on staircases
16. Maintain desk chairs or swivel chair, office furniture and other equipment in good condition
17. Open and close the doors in correct direction, use cautions. Provide a glass window on metal doors to improve visibility when opening or closing the door.
18. Assess weight, distance and hazards before lifting and carrying a load.
19. Stack material such as papers,  files, spares, etc. only in designated area.
20. Maintain general hygiene

Don’ts

1. Don’t allow material to block pathways or escape routes.
2. Don’t let spills go without cleaning them immediately.
3. Don’t keep hot coffee or teacup on office desk.
4. Don’t keep laptop bags or backpack down that may lead to tripping hazards.
5. Don’t stand near door.
6. Don’t leave folded rugs as it can creates a tripping risk.
7. Don’t use desk chairs or swivel chair for standing to reach elevated area as it may create fall risk.
8. Don’t leave table/desk draws open. You may hit your knees.
9. Don’t leave sharp objects such as scissors, stapler, pins, etc. lying around on tabletop.
10. Avoid extension cords, don’t run around offices.
11. Don’t let electrical cables run across paths person may trip and fall
12. Don’t plug multiple plugs into a socket
13. Don’t use cell phone while moving, especially on stairs
14. Don’t balance precariously on desk chairs or swivel chair
15. Don’t try fixing struck printers or other machines by self.

Although providing a safe workplace is the primary responsibility of the employer, but by law, the employee must cooperate with his employer so that he can meet his safety obligations. Therefore, maintaining a healthy work environment in the office is a responsibility of both employer and employee.

Compared to the hazards in the outdoor workplace, the offices are much safer, but the risks of falling from stairs, office chairs or swivel chairs, ergonomics disorders, slipping on the wet floor in the wash room, tripping and falling due to an extension cord and eye strain cannot be overlooked.

These Office safety Do’s and Don'ts can be shared with employees in your office workplace to remind them of basic workplace safety precautions to avoid accidents.

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