Is Worker’s Safety a Priority in your Office?
You care about your workers. You want to keep them as safe and healthy (and thus productive) as possible on the job. Injuries and illnesses lower their productivity and may lead to absences, both of which reduce your profits. Safety rules are necessary for any type of business, not just a factory or jobsite.
An office may be quieter and neater than a plant or jobsite but it also has machinery, chemical, slip and fall, and fire hazards. Cost of injuries to office workers can be as high as those of plant or jobsite workers. Your downtime cost and inconvenience while they recuperate can be as high, too. Here are some hazards that are found in offices and some ways to mitigate the hazards.
Here are some of the more common office hazards that can cause injuries unless proper precautions are taken:
Machines (ex. copier, shredder, fax, printer):
Permit only trained persons to use machines.
Remind users to keep body, hair, clothing, jewelry and combustibles from moving and/or hot parts.
Warn users to never operate if protective guards are not in place.
Plug electric machines only into proper, grounded outlets.
Replace defective or damaged power cords or electrical plugs that are missing ground prongs.
Allow only qualified persons to service or repair machines.
Chemicals (ex. correction fluid, machine toner):
Ensure users follow label directions & understand the hazards shown in the material safety data sheets. Substitute safer chemicals if possible.
Slip and fall (ex. power cords in walkways, poor housekeeping, and cramped conditions):
Keep power cords out of walkways or cover with thresholds anchored to floor.
Replace extension cords with permanent outlets.
Arrange furniture and equipment so aisles are clear and workers will not bump each other as they work.
Clean spills immediately.
Use nonslip floor wax.
Use mats at doors in bad weather.
Provide adequate light.
Provide handrails for stairs.
Read more ways to prevent common slip and fall hazards.
Ergonomic hazards (ex. typist/keyboard operator wrists at awkward position or slouching in chair): Provide adjustable chairs and/or workstations so workers can adjust heights according to their comfort.
Require workers to take momentary breaks to stretch, relax muscles, or to look away from computer screen.
Provide phone operator with headset.
Assign varying tasks to workers to prevent their making the same movements the entire shift.
Teach and have workers practice safe lifting.
Place items to be lifted between knee and knuckle height.
Contact Fidella Insurance today to find out if you and your workers are properly covered in the event of an accident.
