Safety & Health in the

“Office” Work Environment

CLEET
Safety Training
Office Employees are part of the
site Safety & Health process.
What are some of the hazards
we encounter in offices?
 Ergonomic issues;  Office machines
(copiers, paper cutters,
 Fire & evacuation; shredders, jammed
 Electrical cords & machines);
equipment;  Office chemicals;
 Heat-generating  Slips, trips, falls;
sources;  Housekeeping;
 Hand & powered  Furniture/layout;
tools &  Motor vehicle
equipment; accidents.
Start your day off safely…
Dress for success
 Wear loose, comfortable
clothing to allow free movement
of hips & to maintain natural
spinal curves.
 Avoid open-toed shoes and
sandals, whenever possible.
 Wear comfortable footwear with
a low heel to reduce leg and
back strain & to help prevent
slips and falls.
Slips, Trips & Falls
 The #1 cause of office  Use the handrail on stairs.
employee injuries!  Report deficient
– Level surfaces, conditions to Facilities
– Elevated surfaces - Maintenance.
standing on chairs,  Hold onto chair
falling out of chairs, seats/arms when
falling down stairs attempting to sit.
– Manufacturing areas,  Approved step stools &
– Parking lots. ladders only.
 Awareness.  “Sensible shoes.”
 Keep aisles clear.  Wipe up spills.
 “Walk like a duck” on  Walk, don’t run.
slippery surfaces.
Layout:

 Office areas established with the assistance &

approval of the Facilities Maintenance & EHS.
 Emergency exits & passageways established &
must be maintained.
 Furniture & equipment arranged, so far as
possible, to:
• Avoid chairs and equipment jutting into
walkways; Avoid drawers from opening into
walkways or doorways; Obstruct the view
around corners or partitions.
Lighting:

 Areas that are not lit adequately, or are lit

too much, can cause headache, strain, and
fatigue.
 Color plays a big role in eye fatigue.
 Use adjustable task lighting for tasks that
require greater illumination.
 Take visual “breaks” every 30 minutes.
 Get regular eye exams…let your eye doc
know if you are working at a computer!
“Housekeeping”
 Storage or placement of objects in aisles,
below knee level, or on other “office-type”
floor surfaces.
 Overflowing, heavy wastebaskets.
 Dust accumulations.
 Maintaining condition of office equipment and
work area.
 Orderly arrangement in all areas, especially
storage.
 Storage must be 18” or more below sprinkler
heads.
Furniture Safety:
 Chairs should remain squarely on the floor.
 Casters on all chairs should be secured and all
parts of the chair should be sturdy & should
not present a hazard to the user.
 Close drawers when not in use.
 Open drawers slowly and carefully.
 Avoid overloading filing cabinets, and
distribute the weight of materials stored in
cabinet to avoid tipping.
 Furniture should be selected and maintained
without sharp edges, points, or burrs.
 Good workstation set-up is
based on individual needs.

But, there are some general

principles that can be taken into
account…
Rule #1: If you are uncomfortable,
seek assistance!
Considerations in setting up a
Computer Work Station
 How with the
computer be used?
How long?  What can you see?
 What kind of  Posture!
computer?  Where will the
 What furniture will computer be used?
be used?  Breaks
 What chair will be  Ergo. Gizmos
used?
 “Turtleneck”;  Shoulder(s) too
 Hungry head; high/low;
 Slumped posture;  Butts up;
 Elbows out;  Twisting of neck
 Reach out of or back;
“easy reach”  Wrists outside of
zone; neutral position;
 Work outside the  Squinted eyes.
“comfort zone”;
Good posture is essential to your
health & safety!
 3 natural curves.
 Seated posture puts lots
of strain on your body!
 Exaggerated curves are
bad.
 Stretch frequently.
 Maintain or build
strength.
Easy Reach

 Items to think
about moving
into the “easy
reach” zone...
– Keyboard
– Mouse
– Telephone
– Calculator
Chairs:
 Some adjustments to
check out…
– Seat height, depth,
angle/tilt,
– Back height, adjustability,
and angle/tilt,
– Lumbar support,
– Arm rest height,
– Swivel.
 Another pair of eyes.
Your Health & Safety Requires
Stretching/Exercise “Breaks”!
 Two types:
– Aerobic exercise
– Micro breaks
 Micro Breaks:
short breaks to
relax, restore, re-
nourish, gently
stretch.
Material Handling:
 No lifting over 35 pounds  Plan the lift.
on an occasional basis.  Stand with your feet
– Obtain assistance apart, alongside the
through the Facilities object to be lifted.
Maintenance Dept.  Use the “sit down”
 Avoid lifting objects that position, maintaining the
are too heavy for you! natural arch of the spine.
 Tuck your chin.
 Get a good grip on the
object.
 Keep the object close.
 Center the weight over
your feet.
 Avoid twisting.
Office Equipment Safeguarding
 Copiers (sorting  Storage of letter
trays, moving parts). openers and sharp
 Paper Cutter tools (i.e. Exacto
guarding to avoid knives, scissors, etc.)
contact with the should be
cutting blade by the appropriate to avoid
opposing hand (hand tools rolling and
holding the paper). falling off of desk
 When cutters are not surfaces.
in use, cutter should  Use sheaths for
be down and the knives and razors.
blade secured.
11% of Injuries =
“Struck by or between”
 Struck by or between what???
– Doors,
– Office machines & equipment dropped
on feet;
– Falling objects (from cabinets & storage
locations);
– Copy machines;
– “Addressing” machines and fans;
– Paper cutters.
In accordance with
Lockout/Tagout policy &
procedures...
 Office equipment has the  Copiers that become
potential to cause harm
& is included in the
Lockout/ Tagout
program.
 In order to clear a jam of
electrically-powered
office equipment, power
must be turned “off” and
disconnected from the
power supply.
jammed should be
cleared in accordance
with manufacturer’s
instructions.
– Know the procedures for
for safely clearing jams.
– Remain cognizant of
areas which may be hot.
– Remember that power is
still connected!
Electrical Safety:

 Shut off electrical  Surge protectors may not

equipment not in use! be overloaded and may
 Properly equipped with not be used as an
grounding prongs. “extension cord” for
 Electrical cords should be other office equipment.
visually inspected on a  Don’t overload outlets
periodic basis to identify and surge protectors!
frayed and worn cords.  Combustible material,
 Maintain electrical cords such as paper, may not
in areas out of walkways be stored on or in close
and passageways. proximity to electrical
 Avoid extension cords in outlets and connections.
office areas.
Heat Generating Equipment
Coffee pot  Ensure 18” or more of

Toaster oven clearance from other

combustibles
Microwave
 UL listed
Mug warmer
 Grounding prongs
Heaters
 Plug into outlet directly
Cooling fans
 Heaters need tip-over
Soldering iron protection
Heat gun  Shut it off!
Other electrical stuff
Chemical Safety

 What chemicals do we use in the

office?
 Read the label & hazard warnings.
 Read the MSDS (Material Safety Data
Sheet)…on file in EHS Dept.
 Handle & store the material properly,
in accordance with the MSDS.
Report injuries & “near-hits”

 Learn from near-

misses to prevent
serious injuries.
 Report injuries to
your supervisor and
the EHS Manager.
 Primary Goal:
Prevent Recurrence!
Emergencies:
 How do we report emergencies & get
assistance?
 What does the alarm sound like?
 What are the primary & secondary
exits?
 Where do we meet?
 Who accounts for us?
 How do we report missing persons?
General Office Safety Hazard Control

 Proper, well-designed layout of

office, furniture, equipment,
lighting;
 Ergonomic evaluation & correction
of workstations;
 Small appliance control ;
 Proper electrical wiring & properly
grounded electrical service;
General Hazard Control - continued

 Proper materials handling &

storage areas;
 Maintenance of walking surfaces;
 Emergency planning;
 Maintenance of fire prevention &
control program;
 Contractor & visitor safety rules.
THE END