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Safety Managers, do you include the office and administrative workers in your company in your safety meetings? If not, you should. Most companies have clerical, sales and administrative employees who work in a climate controlled, comfortable work environment. We do not usually think of these employees as being at risk for injury, especially when compared to, say, a construction site but they are. As Safety Professionals, we should be aware that these employees are a part of our team and should be included in safety meetings on a regularly scheduled basis. Let us look at some of the exposures office workers may face:
- Ergonomic desk set up. Proper posture, head and body alignment are important. If your feet will not touch the floor without leaning forward, use a footrest or chair adjustment to alleviate the problem.
- Using a headset or other hands-free method for prolonged periods of phone usage. Cradling a phone on your shoulder with your head at an odd angle can and does lead to serious strains, neck, and back injuries.
- Prolonged sitting. You should get up and move around a bit. This gets the blood flowing and helps with numerous health issues. Develop a stretching regimen for sedentary work.
- Slips and falls. When the walking surfaces in the parking lot and/or sidewalks are slippery or icy, use short slow steps to navigate the slippery surface. Be sure to plan in winter for slippery conditions by wearing sensible footwear.
- Trip hazards in the work area. Tie up extension cords and other electrical cords so they do not cause you to trip over them. Tripping over phone and calculator cords cause hundreds of injuries a year. Also, clean up spills immediately and keep aisles free of obstructions and clutter.
- Fires caused by electrical cords. Don’t run them under carpet or through windows or doorways. Always secure and route them with approved measures. Don’t use staples and nails.
- Emergencies of all kinds. Know your office plan for storms, fire and other emergencies such as a violent intruder. Know the different alarm sounds for fire and weather. Have a plan of action in case of a power failure during a catastrophe.
These are but a few of the exposures you will encounter in an office setting. For more possible office safety exposures, click here for the Office Safety Outline which could help to acknowledge other safety issues that need to be addressed in the office. Another way to learn more is to ask your employees what individual issues they struggle with as it pertains to safety in the office.
Don’t forget about AlaCOMP’s FREE Online Safety Library that has topics pertaining to office safety such as the Office Safety topic and the Job Hazard Analysis topic plus many more.
As always, don’t hesitate to contact our Loss Control Department if you need assistance with safety issues or would like to request a visit.
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