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Office Employees are part of the site Safety & Health process.
Office hazards / What are some of the hazards we encounter in offices?
• Ergonomic issues;
• Heat-generating sources;
• Office chemicals;
• Housekeeping;
• Furniture/layout;
• Wear comfortable footwear with a low heel to reduce leg and back strain & to help prevent slips
and falls.
– Elevated surfaces - standing on chairs, falling out of chairs, falling down stairs
– Manufacturing areas,
– Parking lots.
• Awareness.
• “Sensible shoes.”
• Wipe up spills.
Lighting:
• Areas that are not lit adequately, or are lit too much, can cause headache, strain, and fatigue.
• Use adjustable task lighting for tasks that require greater illumination.
Get regular eye exams…let your eye doc know if you are working at a computer!
“Housekeeping”
• Storage or placement of objects in aisles, below knee level, or on other “office-type” floor
surfaces.
• Dust accumulations.
Furniture Safety:
• Chairs should remain squarely on the floor.
• Casters on all chairs should be secured and all parts of the chair should be sturdy & should not
present a hazard to the user.
• Avoid overloading filing cabinets, and distribute the weight of materials stored in cabinet to
avoid tipping.
• Furniture should be selected and maintained without sharp edges, points, or burrs.
• Posture!
• Breaks
• Hungry head;
• Slumped posture;
• Elbows out;
• Butts up;
• Squinted eyes.
Good posture is essential to your health & safety!
• 3 natural curves.
• Stretch frequently.
Easy Reach
• Items to think about moving into the “easy reach” zone...
– Keyboard
– Mouse
– Telephone
– Calculator
Chairs:
• Some adjustments to check out…
– Lumbar support,
– Swivel.
• Two types:
– Aerobic exercise
– Micro breaks
Material Handling:
• Plan the lift.
• Use the “sit down” position, maintaining the natural arch of the spine.
• Avoid twisting.
• Paper Cutter guarding to avoid contact with the cutting blade by the opposing hand (hand
holding the paper).
• When cutters are not in use, cutter should be down and the blade secured.
• Storage of letter openers and sharp tools (i.e. ` knives, scissors, etc.) should be appropriate to
avoid tools rolling and falling off of desk surfaces.
11% of Injuries =
“Struck by or between”
• Struck by or between what???
– Doors,
– Copy machines;
– Paper cutters.
Lockout/Tagout procedures...
• Office equipment has the potential to cause harm & is included in the Lockout/ Tagout program.
• In order to clear a jam of electrically-powered office equipment, power must be turned “off”
and disconnected from the power supply.
• Copiers that become jammed should be cleared in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions.
Electrical Safety:
Shut off electrical equipment not in use!
Electrical cords should be visually inspected on a periodic basis to identify frayed and worn
cords.
Surge protectors may not be overloaded and may not be used as an “extension cord” for other
office equipment.
Combustible material, such as paper, may not be stored on or in close proximity to electrical
outlets and connections.
Toaster oven
Microwave
Mug warmer
Heaters
Cooling fans
Soldering iron
Heat gun
UL listed
Grounding prongs
Shut it off!
Emergencies:
How do we report emergencies & get assistance?
Where do we meet?
Emergency planning;