Health and Safety in the Office

Importance of occupational health and safety in the office

Occupational Health and Safety is the term that comprises all condition and factors that health and safety can be affected by, as well as the well-being of people engaged in work.

Depending on the type of industry and work operations they are involved in, workers are exposed to different workplace hazards on a daily basis. Working in an office is generally considered a safe working environment, but the truth is that accidents can happen anywhere. Not only workers of heavy industries such as construction and manufacturing, but also people who spend their whole day in administrative sites and whose nature of work is clerical or administrative, are exposed to many occupational hazards.

 There are many hazards that office workers face, including incorrect workstation set-up, poor lighting, poor layout of furniture, electrical hazards, etc. Therefore, this article will review the most ignored office safety hazards.

Common ignored health and safety hazards in the office environment

Working with computers - Hazards related to computer use, are mostly of ergonomic nature. Ergonomics involves designing and arranging the workplace so that people can work comfortably, safely and efficiently. Unergonomic computer workstation, such as an incorrect desk height, chair height, back support, monitor level, keyboard and mouse position, and many other factors may result to aches and pains in the back, neck, shoulders, arms, hands, wrists, etc. Exposure to unergonomic conditions causes musculoskeletal disorders which can lead to both, short-term and permanent work disability.

In addition to these, individuals who use computers for a prolonged period may also experience eye and vision problems, which are caused due to improper viewing distance, poor lighting, glare on the monitor screen, etc.

Working environment - Indoor air quality is important not only for workers’ comfort but also for their health. Poor ventilation, uncontrolled temperature, too high or low humidity are some of the factors that can cause poor indoor air quality. Exposure to these hazards causes immediate symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, concentration problems, and irritation of eyes, nose and throat. However, exposure to some airborne contaminants, such as chemicals or microorganisms, can lead to delayed and more serious diseases, including cancer.

Some of the environment related hazards that are usually presented in offices are poor lighting and noise pollution. Nowadays, some modern offices may lack natural lighting, while some others may face too much noise. The last two may not seem as hazards, but they can significantly contribute to several occupational diseases; that’s why the control of these factors is important when considering workplace health and safety.

Office equipment - Photocopiers, paper shredders, paper cutters, printers, scanners, etc. are some of the common office machines that require special safety considerations. Since these machines may consist of extremely sharp edges, such as blades, it is important for workers/operators to be aware of the factsbefore using them. Malfunction and failure of equipment may result in serious injuries of employee. One way of controlling such office equipment hazards is to avoid misusing them. In order to eliminate or reduce exposure to these hazards, office machines and equipment should be regularly and thoroughly inspected, maintained and repaired.

Manual handling - Activities such as carrying, lifting, lowering, moving, pulling and pushing are all manual handling operations which are unlikely to pose health and safety risks when performed correctly. Inappropriate manual handling tasks commonly performed in offices include moving and lifting paper boxes, carrying heavy file folders, books or documents, moving furniture and equipment, as well as prolonged and intense repetitive tasks, such as keyboard or mouse use. The risks associated with poor manual handling are musculoskeletal disorders. Musculoskeletal disorders account for by nearly 45% of all work-related injuries. Therefore, hazards due to manual handling should be prevented at the workplace. The most effective way to achieve this is proper ergonomic design of workplace, equipment and tasks.

Work related stress - A little bit of stress at work may seem to be normal and may also have several positive benefits. For example, stress can help people complete their tasks more efficiently and accomplish goals. But anxiety, irritability, depression, sleeping problems, eating disorders, fatigue, inability to concentrate and loss of interest in work are all symptoms of excessive work-related stress. All these health effects contribute to low productivity.

Stress can be caused by poor work organization, over or under work, lack of support from the employer and colleagues, lack of respect and many other factors. Many of these may be unseen, but should not be avoided when concerning occupational health and safety.

Working after hours - In addition to certain disorders such as tiredness, sleepiness, fatigue, etc., when working afterhours, the risk of certain hazards may be increased due to the inability to get immediate assistance, whether from colleagues or supervisors. The same health and safety risks are associated with working alone or in isolation. Therefore, employers are required to ensure health and safety of workers who work alone, after hours or in isolated circumstances.

Kitchen appliances - Nowadays, most offices have a shared kitchen-like area designated for snacks. Generally, they are equipped with stove, microwave, refrigerator, coffee/tea machines, dishes and/or utensils. Kitchens and kitchen appliances are the main sources of ignition in offices. Health and safety hazards present in kitchens cover a wide range of risks, from slips and falls to burning of buildings.

Conclusion

When Occupational Health and Safety is mentioned, people think it is a topic that only high-risk workplaces deal with. In fact every organization, regardless of its kind or size, should seek opportunities to promote and maintain the highest degree of health and safety of employees in their workplace.

Since OH&S performance has a direct impact on overall business performance, organizations need to measure, monitor and evaluate their safety and health performance, and this can be achieved by the development and implementation of an effective Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) program which will help the organization to manage its OH&S risks.

PECB (Professional Evaluation and Certification Board) is a personnel certification body for a wide range of professional standards. It offers OHSAS 18001 training and certification services for professionals wanting to gain a comprehensive knowledge of the main processes of an OHSMS, project managers or consultants

wanting to prepare and support an organization in the implementation of an OHSMS, auditors wanting to perform and lead OHSMS certification audits, and staff involved in the implementation of the OHSAS 18001 standard.

OHSAS 18001 and Occupational Health and Safety Trainings offered by PECB:

• Certified OHSAS 18001 Lead Implementer (5 days)
• Certified OHSAS 18001 Lead Auditor (5 days)
• Certified OHSAS 18001 Foundation (2 days)
• OHSAS 18001 Introduction (1 day)

Narta Voca is the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Product Manager at PECB. She is in charge of developing and maintaining training courses related to HSE. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact her at training@pecb.com.