Importance Of Health & Safety In The Office

Health and safety in the office is important not only to the employees but the employers and anyone else involved in the work place. It has been proven that when people feel safe in the environment they work, they are more efficient and productive.

Ensuring health and safety in the office also minimizes chances of being sued or held liable. It can also save on costs that would have been caused by hazards

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The first step to ensuring health and safety in the office is to ensure that the employers provide training to their employees on safety at the office.  Training office staff should cover the following areas:

• Safe work practices
• Types of hazards in the work place and their main causes
• Legal responsibilities for health and safety
• How to identify hazards
• Risk assessment and risk control

Information and records that relate to the safety and health of employees should also be kept by the employers. These records are important in the event a legal issue arises.

An organization or company should from time to time have a review of health and safety in their offices to ensure they are up to date with what the law provides. A review also assists to ensure that their health and safety practices are effective.

There are several hazards provided in an office environment. These include;

• Lifting heavy objects
• Injuries from falling objects
• Scents, perfumes and exposure to cleaning products
• Sitting for long periods of time
• The inherent risk of violence
• Exposure to toxic substances
• Noise
• Eye strain while using the computer
• Getting cuts while using office tools
• Working alone
• Office Chairs that are not properly adjusted
• Slips and falls
• Overloaded power points
• Stress
• Bullying
• Uncomfortable temperatures
• Working on a repetitive manual task

Preventive Measures

• Take breaks when doing repetitive manual tasks
• Keep office working areas clean and free from clutter
• Learn safe lifting techniques
• Set up your work station ergonomically and let a professional assess it
• Learn on emergency evacuation procedures and plans
• Be aware of the individual and personal risk factors
• Avoid sitting for long periods of time without taking a break

General Safe Work Practices

• Adhere to company rules and regulations
• Learn about fire safety
• Practice safe lifting
• Know the right procedure on reporting a hazard
• Learn about chemical safety
• Practice office ergonomics