Office & Classroom Safety

Use Electrical Equipment Cautiously

1. Inspect cords and report defects
2. Utilize a master switch
3. Keep personal items and foreign objects from
moving parts
4. Follow instructions in equipment manuals
Recognize equipment and furniture hazards

Safety facts for the business

Office and Classroom
No office is a totally safe environment. A high
percentage of accidents on the job are caused by
employee carelessness.
The following are some things to consider about
office safety. Learn what effect each of them has on
you, as a student and as a future employee.
Prevent slipping and tripping, falling and lifting
injuries
1.

Secure carpeting, tile, mats, and

other floor coverings

1. Choose appropriate clothing, hairstyles, and

accessories
2. Close desk and file drawers promptly
3. Operate filing equipment with care
4. Use paper cutter with care
5. Use stapler with caution
6. Use paper shredder with caution
7. Sand rough edges of furniture
8. Use chairs with casters cautiously
9. Make only minor repairs that are shown in
equipment manuals
10. Be cognizant of electrical equipment hazards
Create and Maintain a safe Workstation
1. Ventilate items and store with care

2. Obey warning signs

2. Use proper lighting

3. Clear floors and walkways

3. Arrange workstation

4. Eliminate litter

4. Store and reach for scissors with caution

5. Secure beverages in containers

5. Cover and carry food and beverages with

caution

6. Wipe dry, leaks and spills

7. Use ladders when reaching for or storing
materials
8. Lift, reach, and bend correctly
9. Carry boxes and objects carefully
Avoid collisions and obstructions
1. Approach doorways cautiously
2. Clear aisles

Report fires and other emergencies

1. Observe exit signs, routes, and procedures
2. Be prepared to use fire extinguishers
3. Record and display emergency numbers
4. Avoid elevators during emergencies
5. Exercise caution with smoking, ashtrays, and
wastebaskets

3. Exercise caution when stacking materials.

4. Transport boxes with care
5. Arrange cabinets with care
Recognize other hazardous situations
1. Observe exit signs, routes, and procedures

Office & Classroom Safety

2. Be prepared to use fire extinguishers

3. Record and display emergency numbers

4. Avoid elevators during emergencies
5. Exercise caution with smoking, ashtrays, and
wastebaskets

Fire Safety
Fire can have a devastating impact on businesses.
A fire can race through a structure/business in a
matter of minutes, giving the employer and
employees little time to escape.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA) Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)
1910.39 requires an employer with 10 or more
employees to have a fire prevention plan.
A fire prevention plan must be:

1. In writing
2. Kept in the workplace
3. Available for employees to review
The following minimum elements must be included
in a fire prevention plan:

list of all major fire hazards;

proper handling and storage
procedures for hazardous materials;

type of fire protection equipment

necessary to control each major hazard;

procedures to control accumulations

of flammable and combustible waste
materials;

procedures for regular maintenance

of safeguards installed on heat-producing
equipment to prevent the accidental ignition of
combustible materials;

Smoke Alarms
Smoke alarms or smoke detectors should be
installed on every level of a building, including the
basement, on ceilings or high on walls. Smoke
alarms and smoke detectors should be tested once
a month, according to manufacturers instructions.
Batteries should be replaced once a year or as
soon as the smoke alarm or smoke detector
chirps, indicating the battery is low. Smoke
alarms should be replaced every 10 years, even
those that are hard-wired, or long life, 10-year
battery-types.

Evacuation Plan
It is essential that businesses develop and practice
a basic fire evacuation plan so employees know
what to do when an alarm sounds. Employers
should involve as many people as practical in
putting together the plan, including disabled
employees.
As part of the plan, employees should:

study posted evacuation plans;

learn two ways out of each work area;

count the number of desks or workstations

between their work area and the nearest two
exits;

designate an outside meeting place where

everyone can gather after evacuating, and
devise a system to account for everyone in the
building; and

practice the evacuation plan at least twice a

year.

potential ignition sources and their

control;

name or job title of employees

responsible for maintaining equipment to
prevent or control sources of ignition or fires;
and

name or job title of employees

responsible for the control of fuel source
hazards.

Fire Extinguishers
If the emergency plan includes the use of portable
fire extinguishers, employers must keep in mind that
a properly maintained portable fire extinguisher can
quickly put out a small fire or control a larger one
until the fire department arrives. The number one
priority is that everyone must evacuate safely and
call the fire department.

Office & Classroom Safety

To operate a fire extinguisher, a person should
remember the word PASS while holding the
extinguisher with the nozzle pointing away from
them:

Pull the pin;

Aim low, point the extinguisher at the base

of the fire;

Squeeze the lever; and

Sweep the nozzle from side-to-side.

Fire Triangle

OXYGEN

To produce fires these three elements are

necessary and must be present at the same time. If
anyone of the three is missing, a fire cannot be
started. With the removal of anyone of them, the
fire will be extinguished.

Fuel-Any combustible material

Heat-Enough to raise the fuel to its ignition

temperature

Oxygen-Necessary to sustain combustion

Classes of Fires
Class A-Fires that occur in ordinary combustible
materials

Examples: Paper, wood, rags, and rubbish

Class B-Fires that occur with flammable liquids

Examples: Gasoline, oil, grease, paints, and

thinners

Class C-Fires that occur in or near electrical

equipment

Examples: Motors, switchboards, electrical

wiring, and computers

Class D-Fires that occur with combustible metals

Examples: Magnesium

Class A & C are Classes of fires that might be

encountered in a typical classroom

Ergonomics
Ergonomics can have a large impact on the
productivity and profits of an organization. When
employees are working at improperly designed
workstations, muscle fatigue, eyestrain, headaches,
and other discomforts can become factors in
decreasing the effectiveness of your organization.
These factors act to decrease morale and
motivation and eventually may cause injury or
illness. A good ergonomics program can help
reduce the physical strain put on your employees
while they are working, and increase morale and
motivation, having a positive effect on productivity.
All offices require people to interact with the working
environment. The layout of their desk, the
placement of the computer, the type of chair, and
over all space that people work in affects ergonomic
conditions. To further complicate matters, people
come in different sizes and shapes and the work
environment needs to be adjusted to meet the
individual needs of the employee. If the work
environment is not adjusted to meet the needs of
the individual, injuries and illnesses can result.
Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are one of the
most frequent workers' compensation claims with
back injuries, one type of MSD, leading the list.
The ability to understand what ergonomics is, how
to identify some of the most common risk factors
and what practical solutions to use, will aid in
reducing the number of MSDs.

Common Risk Factors

The workplace of today strives toward "paperwork
reduction and job specialization, both of which
increase the chances of suffering from MSDs.
Paperwork reduction puts people in front of
computers more often and for longer periods, while
job specialization keeps workers at the same
workstations performing the same jobs day-in and
day-out. Risk factors can be found in any
occupation from the office, to the construction site,
to the pharmacy, or the store. Everyone needs to
understand that there is a risk of injury, but there are
some definite risk factors to consider.
The potential for MSDs increases if work activities
and job conditions involve any of the following
conditions:

I. frequent manual material handling;

2. exposure to extreme temperatures;

Office & Classroom Safety

3. exposure to excessive vibrations;

4. repetitive motions throughout the work shift;

5. awkward or stationary work positions;

6. utilization of excessive force or localized

pressure to perform tasks; and

7. unnecessary lifting of heavy and awkward

items.

Equipment Adjustability
A good ergonomic environment allows for maximum
adjustability of the office equipment including desk
height, chair height, backrest, seat pan, arm rests,
foot rests, computer screens, keyboard position,
document holders, and lighting.
The adjustability of the office equipment is the key
factor in creating safe working environments for
your employees.

Posture
A proper posture will help ensure good circulation
and reduce muscle fatigue and is essential to
preventing injuries, increasing motivation and
morale:

Both feet should be flat on the floor or on

a footrest

Knees should be bent at approximately

90 angles

Thighs and the lower arms should be

parallel to floor

Thighs should fit comfortably under the

desk

The back should be fully supported by the

backrest

Wrists should be in neutral positions

Computer
The CPU has to be easily accessible without
excessive twisting and reaching. In other words,
the CPU should be within arms reach and should
not require the employee to twist, lean, or reach
excessively to turn the computer on or use
computer disks.
The computer screen should always be positioned
directly in front of the employee using the computer.

The height of the computer screen should be such

that the first line of text is at the eye level of the
employee. The employee should sit approximately
an arms length away from the screen, with the
hands folded at the knuckles. If the computer
screen is positioned too high or too low, or if it is too
close or too far, these factors can cause problems
including fatigue, eyestrain, neck strain, and
headaches.
Computer keyboards also need to be checked. The
employee should be able to type while keeping the
wrists in a neutral position and without having to
reach excessively with their fingers. If the
employee is not able to keep their wrists in a neutral
position, the risk for carpal tunnel syndrome
increases dramatically.
The last interface with the computer is the harmless
little mouse. It is important that employees maintain
a neutral wrist position when using the mouse. The
employee should not be reaching for the mouse,
rather the mouse should be next to the computer
keyboard. Last, but not least, is the fact that people
do not like to let go of the mouse when they are
finished with it. Normally, people will continue to
hold the mouse when reading documents or surfing
the Internet. Continuing to hold on to the mouse
promotes a static position that can be avoided.
Letting go of the mouse and moving the arm will
help to prevent fatigue and other symptoms of static
positions.

Workstation
A workstation is the location where an employee
performs his or her job. In the office environment,
employees work in a wide range of environments,
from small to large cubicles or offices with desks.
The work surface should be large enough for the
employee to comfortably perform their job duties. It
should be adjustable for each employee. The
employee should have commonly used items within
arms reach to reduce reaching and awkward
postures. Workspaces should be neat and orderly,
with personal items located in places that do not
interfere with the normal functions of the job.
Workspace lighting should be appropriate for the
task at hand. Too much or too little light can cause
eyestrain, leading to fatigue and headaches.