Keep an eye out for some common office safety hazards that could cause an accident, incident, or injury at work. Make sure your staff, clients, and visitors are safe on your premises by removing hazards and inherent risks that could compromise their well-being.
5 Office Safety Hazards
Be watchful of these hazards and strive to maintain a safe and secure environment for those working or visiting your location:
Falls
Did you know that falls rank as the third highest fatal event in the workplace, and the fifth leading cause of employees missing work? Slip and trip hazards, like ice, water, cords, carpeting, and more, can contribute to slip and fall injuries at work. Both indoor and outdoor spaces are susceptible to conditions that can cause someone to take a nasty fall.
Ergonomics
As many office staff and workers sit for most of the workday, there are some distinct hazards associated with ergonomics that impact posture and flexibility. Repetitive movements and motions, like typing, can lead to things like carpal tunnel, too. Adjustability in office chairs, desks, and furniture may help.
Eyestrain
If you sit in front of a computer screen for much of the day, you are at serious risk of eyestrain. Over time, eyestrain can lead to discomfort, irritation, and difficulty with visual acuity. This blurriness may or may not be a temporary condition.
Fire Safety
Office fires cause millions of dollars in property damage each year- and many are preventable with routine workplace inspections. Overloaded outlets and improper use of extension cords lead the way in terms of causation. Experts recommend that you only use extension cords for plugging in one item at a time, on a temporary basis.
Air Quality
Offices and work sites can also be prone to poor air quality, another hazard for staff and visitors. Poor indoor air quality is to blame for many respiratory issues and illnesses, as well as allergies and asthma. So, why such poor air quality at work? It may be due to poor ventilation, overcrowding, mold, cleaning chemicals, humidity, or accumulation of dust.
What You Can Do
So, what can you do to avoid these common office hazards? Prevent potential workplace accidents and injuries with a few tips:
- Be vigilant about cleaning up leaks and spills right away. Invest in signage to warn others of hazards, like puddles or cords, during cleaning or maintenance.
- Be prompt about using ice-melting products on slick sidewalks, paths, and steps- and use nonslip runners during messy months to reduce the risk of falls.
- Prevent employee injury by providing adjustable chairs that allow all users to easily place their feet flat on the ground.
- Take a 10-minute break each hour to look away from your screen to prevent eye fatigue.
- Train your team and staff on emergency response tactics to incidents like fires routinely. Check the dates on fire extinguishers, too, and have them charged as necessary.
- Schedule regular cleaning of your office’s HVAC and ventilation system. Replace filters as needed to prevent pollutants and contaminants from invading the air that you breathe.
Let us help you create a safer environment at work. Reach out to Carolina Services Inc, Charleston’s premier commercial space planning, improvement, and construction company. We can help you design and create an office free of hazards that could present risk to your team. Call or visit today.
