Workplaces - Offices

The office as a workplace is like any other working environment. When poorly managed, hazards are many and varied and can include:

• incorrect workstation set-up, 
• poor lighting, 
• poor layout of furniture and equipment,
• poor housekeeping,
• electrical hazards,
• equipment hazards and environmental hazards(poor ventilation, temperature),
• poor air quality, and
• poor storage arrangements.

Prevention of Accidents and Injuries in the Office

The following checklist provides a guide to safe working in an office:

• All electrical equipment must be tested and tagged before use.
• Never use double adapters and report any damaged power cords or power points.
• Minimise the use of power boards and extension cables and ensure they are not trialing across walkways. 
• Set up workstations with sufficient adjustments to cope with individual needs.
• Provide adequate lighting in all areas and workstations are checked for excess glare on visual screens.
• Ensure visual display units [computer screens] are positioned at right angles to windows to minimise reflections and glare. The screen should be positioned so that artificial lighting does not reflect from the screen.
• Ensure ventilation and temperature controls are adequate for office needs.
• Ensure that floors, walkways, stairs and storage areas are free from obstructions.
• Check that emergency exits are not blocked and a periodic emergency test is undertaken.
• Ensure that all floor surfaces are properly maintained and, if required, covered with non-slip material.
• Use step stools or step ladders to reach items above shoulder level, not chairs or tables.
• Stabilise filing cabinets and bookcases to prevent them falling forward.
• Do not stack files or equipment on top of high cupboards or cabinets.
• Regularly maintain all equipment to the manufacturer’s specification.
• Do not overload bookshelves and store heavy items at a low level.
• Ensure appropriate staff amenities are in place and maintained through a cleaning regime.