Tag Archives: Office

General Safety Issues

Health & Safety in Office Design

Written by The Advanced Commercial Interiors Team

https://www.aci.uk.net/

With the average office worker spending around 40 hours per week in the office, it is imperative that every office is designed with health and safety in mind! Nowadays, thanks to the likes of Google and Facebook with their fancy office spaces, many companies want to add as much creative flare as possible into their space. However, you must ensure that this new era of creativity does not interfere with the all important health & safety aspect!

It is very easy to get wrapped up in implementing more creative features within your office, but these can sometimes have a detrimental effect on your staff if not done correctly. With this in mind, we have created this blog post to give you some of the key things you need to look out for when designing your office space to ensure that you are complying with all health and safety regulations, as well as designing an amazing space.

Health & Safety Legislation

The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) specifies that it is ‘the duty of every employer to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare at work of all his employees’. In layman’s terms, this means it is your responsibility as an employer to ensure that your staff are safe from harm whilst at work. This means you need to be sure of a number of things.

You must ensure that you have the correct seating in place, as this is where your staff spend most of their time whilst at work. Beanbags are great, for short periods of time! However, your staff will spend the majority of their time sat at their desks, so investing in the right office chair for your staff is absolutely crucial.

The same needs to be said for the monitors your employees are using. It is great if you want to place them higher so that they look better. However, the monitors need to be placed in an ergonomic position to ensure your staff are comfortable whilst they are using them.

Lighting

One area that is often forgotten about when designing a new workspace is lighting. Having lighting features that look amazing is great, but they need to be practical as well as good-looking! A lot of office spaces are now choosing to move away from uniform LED lighting as employers think this looks dull and bland. But the reality is that it works, and works well! Besides, there are still areas where you can be creative with your office lighting, meeting rooms are a great way to show off your design flare!

 

Fire Safety

Fire safety is one of the most important things in an office. In the event of a fire, you want to be sure that you are going to be notified about it as soon as possible, but also that you have the available training and equipment to deal with the fire if it is small enough to limit property damage.

This is why investing in both fire detection systems, as well as fire extinguishers, is absolutely crucial! Sure, they don’t look great hanging on the wall of your brand new office space, but they are there to do a job. And in the event that a fire extinguisher is needed, you are going to be so glad that they are there for you!

Layout

The layout of your space is also important. Many employers think that open offices nurture productivity. However, according to a new study, open offices actually reduce face-to-face conversation during work! This study shows that conversation between employees drops significantly, and the amount of instant messenger and email communication is on the rise in an open office. Not only is this bad for productivity, it is bad for your health as well!

If you are using an open office, your employees are going to be spending a lot more time sitting at their desks, sometimes up to 8 hours per day, rather than getting up and moving about to talk to their colleagues. The solution to this may to actually build more walls in your office space to separate departments within your workplace. This will encourage face-to-face conversation, increase productivity and staff wellbeing!

Overall, when you are thinking of creating a new office space, or altering your existing workplace, you need to ensure that you are putting health & safety at the top of your priorities list! Not only will this ensure your staff are happy and healthy when at work, it can also increase productivity! This truly is a win win.

 

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Health Issues, Respiratory Safety

TOP SAFETY TIPS FOR HUMIDIFIER USE (GUEST POST)

Humidifiers are widely used in residential, commercial and industrial environments, especially as the colder months of winter approach and lower temperatures causes the air in our homes and on-site offices to lose moisture. Unbeknown to many people, dry air is just as damaging as air with excessive moisture and humidifiers are the perfect appliance to get your humidity levels where they should be. 

However, whilst the health benefits of maintaining the recommended up to 45% humidity level are widely known, owners of humidifiers must exercise caution when operating and maintaining these useful devices and getting the most out of their air quality enhancing features. Check out our three steps to safe and efficient humidifier use… 

Regularly Measure Humidity Levels 

Maintaining the right level of humidity is the key to creating a happy and healthy work environment especially in the trade industry due to the amount of dirt, dust, debris and other harmful particles brought into the office space by workers. Whilst avoiding dry air is important, avoiding exposure to excessive moisture is equally vital, and offices and homes using a humidifier should measure their humidity levels regularly to ensure they strike the right balance. 

As mentioned earlier in this article, the recommended humidity level for the winter season is 25% (35% to 45% during summer) so if your humidity level goes above 50% you must stop using the humidifier unit for a period of time until these levels have returned to normal. If the humidity levels remain high, then the number of dust mites, mold and airborne contaminants will multiply, exposing your workers to an increased number of health risks. 

Clean Regularly to Minimize Bacteria Exposure 

As you can imagine, humidifiers are a breeding ground for bacteria and mold due to its air processing and moisture restoring methods so it is important to clean the tank of your humidifier periodically for maximum cleanliness and efficient performance. It is recommended that you refresh the water in the tank every day and give the tank and its surroundings a wipe down regularly. Give the device a thorough clean and dry when you are storing the humidifier away on the lead up to the summer months, disposing of any used filters. 

Go for Bottled Refills 

When refilling the tank of your humidifier opt for bottled, distilled water instead of tap refills. This will ensure you avoid the build-up of troublesome limescale (caused by the minerals in tap water) that makes many appliances unsafe to use and inefficient. 

Using these safety tips you can ensure that your office humidifier is kept in good working order and provides the safe and healthy working environment you need through the efficient restoration of moisture. 

The author of this post is Martin Davies. As well as being an avid blogger in the home improvement and trade industries, he works for the Air & Water Centre to provide efficient solutions and improved air quality with the latest humidifying and purifying technologies.

General Safety Issues

OFFICE SAFETY 101: KEEPING THE WORKPLACE HAZARD-FREE (GUEST POST)

Office Safety 101: Keeping the Workplace Hazard-Free

Workplace safety is a big focus for most companies, in large part because accidents can be very costly to a business. Each injury or accident can lead to increased insurance costs, lowered productivity and a potential lawsuit, so it’s no surprise that most business owners want to create the safest working environment possible. Many workplace accidents are avoidable; better accident prevention can always reduce the risk of something going wrong.

Even with an office safety plan in place, there are always little things you can do to make your environment just a bit safer. Read on for some suggestions of small changes that can make a big difference—and possibly help you and your coworkers avoid a painful accident.

Use proper signage

Exit doors should always be clearly marked, but that’s not the extent of how signage should be used. Use signs throughout the office to make employees aware of nearby hazards. For example, set out notifications in obvious places to warn employees about slippery floors, or to keep people out of the way of a door’s swinging path. You could even use signage to warn of equipment-specific hazards if you feel the risk warrants an alert.

Tie up or cover cables and cords

Loose cables and cords create a serious tripping hazard in the workplace. When bunches are present, tie them together to reduce the risk of catching onto a foot. When possible, embed them under the carpet or along baseboards. You can also purchase cable raceways to run groups of cables above the floor in a way that won’t create a tripping obstacle for foot traffic.

Keep walkways, doorways and congested areas clear

The more congestion found in walkways, the more likely it is that trips, bumps, spills and other accidents will occur. Keep high-traffic areas as free of clutter as possible. Make sure areas by doors are wide open to prevent collisions. And never leave clutter or other objects on or near flights of stairs.

Install surge protection devices

Electrical surges can pose a great risk to devices, but employees close to that equipment can also be damaged if a surge occurs. Voltage regulation devices help keep the flow of electricity consistent, stopping a surge before it strikes electrical equipment. These devices are easy to install, and they can be a great layer of protection for both equipment and employees if an electrical surge hits your building.

Keep shelving orderly

When shelving is piled high with unstable contents, the risk of a spill increases. Particularly with overhead shelving, the risk of falling objects can be significant and potentially lead to injuries. Keep shelving neat and orderly at all times to eliminate the risk of an accidental spill. Invest in shelf dividers, storage drawers and other organizational items to keep items separated and prevent an avalanche of office supplies.

No one wants to work in a dangerous environment, and injuries in the workplace are always a burden for businesses. It makes sense to do everything you can on the prevention end, stopping incidents before they start. Your business will appreciate your efforts, and your office morale may also enjoy a boost.
Maire lives in the Indianapolis area and enjoys writing about safety and construction. She also loves double chocolate brownies and her Scottish Terrier, Pete.

Note: Under the segment about Use Proper Signage, all offices can use safety posters throughout the building, that fit the particular hazard in that place. 

 

 

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized

HAZARDS OF WORKING IN AN OFFICE!

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Yes, that’s right, most people think that working in an office is a pretty cushy job, but have you ever looked around?  There are potential accidents just waiting to happen, when you really check it out!

As a person who has worked in offices all my life, I think back to several things that I did that could have resulted in injury………..like, having a file cabinet tip over on me because it was top heavy and I was working out of the bottom drawer.  Or not using the correct posture when lifting heavy boxes, my back still hurts!   I’ve had many coworkers trip over a low file drawer that got left out.  (Once, I witnessed an engineer set fire to a wastebasket he was sitting on while talking to his secretary, dropping ashes from his pipe into the trash. Boy, did he get a hotseat!)

There are many simple things that can be done and don’t require a lot of extra time to keep our office employees safe.  Also, office workers should pitch in and report any potential risk hazard to their supervisor, whether it’s a slippery floor, too-dark area, or electrical problem, in order for it to be taken care of before someone gets hurt.

Here are several questions regarding office safety, and we want you to see how many apply to your office:

Office Safety

  • Are your file cabinets top heavy?
  • Are boxes, papers and books stored safely on top of files?
  • Are lights turned on in dark work areas?
  • Are there broken lights?
  • Are drawers left open on desks and file cabinets?
  • Do people tilt back in their chairs?
  • Are there signs to watch your step at elevators?
  • Are spills cleaned up promptly?
  • Do you see people standing on their chairs, desktops, to reach something high, rather than use a step stool?
  • Do electric cords stretch across floor?
  • Are power strips used correctly?
  • Are fire exits clearly marked, and are employees familiar with them?
  • Is there enough space under desk or workstation for employee to take cover in an emergency?
  • Are fire drills conducted regularly?
  • Are coffee makers, griddles, heating elements, safely placed and inspected on a regular basis?
  • Are storage areas clean and neat?
  • Are handrails and stairways well lighted?
  • Does your office have a good housekeeping program?
  • Do employees leave open food, i.e., cookies, crackers, in their desk?
  • Is the floor or carpet in bad condition? Uneven floors can be fall hazards.
  • Do people leave wastebaskets or boxes in walkways?
  • Do you see persons wearing dangling jewelry or floppy clothing while running a shredder?  Guys with ties shouldn’t try this.

We know part of your answers will be no and some yes, but hopefully they apply in a way that shows you have a safe office!  Typically, though, we all need to pitch in and keep our workspace clean, neat and safe for our fellow workers.  Try placing safety posters that relate to the work being done in each area to convey a good safety theme.   Posters work wonders!