For those of us who spend more of our days inside the factory or kitchen, we scoff at our colleagues’ eye and neck strains. We consider ergonomically designed keyboards an unnecessary luxury. But read on! We all spend some time in an office and it can be more deadly than being suffocated by your in- tray. See if you can list at least 10 hazards by the end of the article.
Typical office safety
You have just returned to your office after attending the monthly health and safety meeting. On the agenda were the high risk topics of ammonia leaks that could result in suffocation, dust explosions in the warehouse and falling from incorrectly erected scaffolding.
Your mind still mulling over the dangers, you step over the electrical cord from your portable heater draped across the floor. It’s nice and warm in your office as you left it on while you were out at the meeting. That pile of files on the floor is warm to the touch now.
You reach for your lunch box on the desk. Leftovers will taste good now. You will just warm them up slightly in the microwave in the kitchen. Shouldn’t take too long – they are at room temperature now. Mmm Chicken ala king!
In the kitchen someone has split milk on the floor – again. Last week saw you skating not so gracefully into the counter. You avoid the puddle and place your food in the microwave. It could do with a clean, just like the fridge actually. There are lots of old lunch tins residing there. See – that’s why you rather leave your food on your desk – you never know what’s growing in the fridge.
The kettle is overfilled and steam and hot water splutters all over the company toaster.
Cup and hot lunch in hand you walk back down the passage to your office. That blind corner outside the filing room is going to be tricky – hopefully no one coming the other way like last week – that was a close call.
After an uneventful lunch break hands are grubby. Off to the ablutions. There is no soap - again…and that towel is so wet again, It’s hardly worth using. You wipe your hands on your jeans in frustration.
It’s time to get stuck into that report. You need last month’s audit report. The box of documents is perched on the top of your steel cabinet. No problem – you wheel your office chair around to the cupboard and step onto it reaching above your head to get the box.
Marveling at your balancing skills, you don’t notice Bill the maintenance guy stroll in. “Hi,” he says, innocently. You jump - sky high, lose your balance and the chair moves out from under you. Flailing arms mean box midair. Bill manages to stop your trajectory. Legs shaking you clamber to terra firma. “Where do you want this?” he asks, holding up the sign for your office door: “Health and safety officer”.
How many hazards did you identify in my office, and most likely in yours? Don’t overlook the obvious dangers.
The answers:
1. Electrical hazards from the heater
2. Tripping hazards from the cords
1. Fire hazard from the heater left on
2. Food borne illness – lunch not refrigerated
3. Slipping hazard – from the spilt milk
4. Food borne illness for poor hygiene in kitchen
5. Burns from the hot water
6. Shock from the toaster and the water
7. Collision with colleagues at the blind corner
8. Cuts from the glass, burns from coffee
9. Illness due to no soap clean towels in the bathroom
10. Falls from using chair as a ladder
