Ensuring office safety is a serious thing. As an office is a place housing hundreds to thousands of employees, business owners and managers must consider office safety a high priority. They should create a safe workplace for their employees, implementing safety mandates and ensure a hazard-free office environment. 

Ergonomics

Heard about this term before? For those who have no idea what ergonomics is, it is a science which main concern is between workers and their environment. It looks at how employees do their work and ensure body safety of the employees when doing such work. We can basically say that ergonomics protects and prevents employees from strain and injury. 

In a workplace, for example, an employee must be provided with a desk and a chair that he or she can adjust to her body size. He or she should be able to sit straight and comfortably when working. For the flooring, a special padded rubber mat that absorbs shock is needed if a worker must stand while doing his or her work. These things may seem unimportant but provide protection and prevent casualties in a workplace. 

Housekeeping

It is a normal scene in restaurants and fast-food chains to see cleaners put on warning signs when the floor is wet to prevent accidents. This should be done also in offices where a worker could trip or fall. General housekeeping must be safely done both by directing janitorial crews to clearly mark wet floor areas and in-house electricians to prevent damaged cords out in the open. It is recommended that office cleaning be scheduled when most workers are out of the office. 

Fire Hazards

Fire hazards pose a big danger in the workplace. Professional should regularly check both the computer systems, as well as electrical systems.  Workers should be warned about the dangers of overloading single outlets and using too many extension cords. Offices must run regular fire drills and develop  a fire escape plan for employees. 

Lighting

Employees who spend most of their working time in front of a computer are more prone to getting headaches and eyestrain, sometimes caused by either too much lighting from sun or inadequate light fixtures.  This problem can be avoided by placing computer monitors in appropriate positions. Cornell University Ergonomics Web recommends that the computer be positioned directly in front of the user and the lighting isn’t too bright. To block the sun’s rays, shades should be provided by the company. 

Seating

Many employees develop sciatic pain in their backs and legs from hours of sitting. Our bodies were not designed to be in a seated position for a long time. Workers can avoid this problem by taking several break periods though the day. Employees should stand up and move around the office as much as they are permitted. Aside from using ergonomic chairs, employees can do arm and neck stretching and other simple exercises while in the workplace. 

AUTHOR BIO 

Shiela Flakes works as a Research Associate for help.plagtracker.com. Aside from doing research, she also does writing and editing consultations to many different people. Reach Shiela through her Google+.ele