Office Health and Safety
It is easy to take health and safety in the office for granted, until someone gets injured in an accident that could have been prevented. The Occupational Health & Safety Administration, also known as OSHA, has a comprehensive set of guidelines that every office can follow to keep workers safe.
When it comes to office safety, there are some key areas to consider. Your office desks, cubicles, and office accessories all need to be treated with the proper respect if you are going to avoid accidents and injuries. The worst mistake you can make is assuming that you are safe from danger just because you are in an office.
Power Strips Must Be Used Properly
OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.304(b) (2) talks about the proper uses of power strips in the office. In this instance, the regulation groups power strips in with surge protectors and refers to them as relocatable power taps. It is extremely important to read the limitations of a power strip before you use it in the office. If you overload a power strip, it could become a fire hazard.
For example, the average desktop computer has power requirements that fall within the range of an average power strip. But an electric space heater would overload an average power strip and cause a fire hazard. Read the specifications of a power strip before using it to prevent an office disaster.
Your Computer Workstation
OSHA and other health and safety organizations have a series of recommendations when it comes to computer workstation ergonomics. If you do not pay attention to the way you sit at your computer, then you could start to experience chronic pain in your back, shoulders, forearms, and elbows. You could also risk damaging your vision as well.
There is ergonomic equipment available that will keep your wrists in the proper position, your eyes just far enough away from your monitor, and your back aligned in such a way that you can fend off chronic issues. It is also recommended that you take a couple of breaks every hour away from your computer to help reduce the possibility of permanent health issues.
Monitor The Quality Of Your Indoor Air
The Environmental Protection Agency, also known as the EPA, has a series of action plans and resources that office building owners can refer to for help on keeping the air clean in an office. When you think about it, you and your staff are put together in the same office space for at least eight hours a day. To save money on the environmental controls, most of the windows in an office are usually closed. The air quality in your office is an important issue.
Mold in the air ducts and old air filters in the heating and cooling units can create debris in the air that can cause diseases. It is important that the ducts and all of the environmental systems in an office building are cleaned at least twice a year. It would also be a good idea to open a window once in a while.
Office health and safety is an important responsibility. Every office building owner and company manager should do their part to keep the office safe and the staff productive.
