Safety

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Safety Health in theOffice Work Environment

• Mike Chapman
• April 2004

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Office Employees are part of the site Safety
Health process.
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What are some of the hazards we encounter in
offices?

• Ergonomic issues
• Fire evacuation
• Electrical cords equipment
• Heat-generating sources
• Hand powered tools equipment

• Office machines (copiers, paper cutters,
  shredders, jammed machines)
• Office chemicals
• Slips, trips, falls
• Housekeeping
• Furniture/layout
• Motor vehicle accidents.

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Start your day off safelyDress 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.

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Slips, Trips Falls

• Use the handrail on stairs.
• Report deficient conditions to Supervisor or OSP
  Safety Director.
• Hold onto chair seats/arms when attempting to
  sit.
• Approved step stools ladders only.
• Sensible shoes.
• Wipe up spills.
• Walk, dont run.

• The 1 cause of office employee injuries!
• Level surfaces,
• Elevated surfaces - standing on chairs, falling
  out of chairs, falling down stairs
• Parking lots.
• Awareness.
• Keep aisles clear.
• Walk like a duck on slippery surfaces.

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Layout

• Office areas established with the assistance
  approval of the OSP Safety Director
• 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.

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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 examslet your eye doc know if
  you are working at a computer!

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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
  where provided.

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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.

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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!

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Considerations in setting up a Computer Work
Station

• How with the computer be used? How long?
• What kind of computer?
• What furniture will be used?
• What chair will be used?

• What can you see?
• Posture!
• Where will the computer be used?
• Breaks
• Ergo. Gizmos

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• Ergonomics Hit List

• Turtleneck
• Hungry head
• Slumped posture
• Elbows out
• Reach out of easy reach zone
• Work outside the comfort zone

• Shoulder(s) too high/low
• Butts up
• Twisting of neck or back
• Wrists outside of neutral position
• Squinted eyes.

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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.

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Easy Reach

• Items to think about moving into the easy reach
  zone...
• Keyboard
• Mouse
• Telephone
• Calculator

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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.

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Your Health Safety Requires Stretching/Exercise
Breaks!

• Two types
• Aerobic exercise
• Micro breaks
• Micro Breaks short breaks to relax, restore,
  re-nourish, gently stretch.

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Material Handling

• Plan the lift.
• Stand with your feet apart, alongside the object
  to be lifted.
• Use the sit down position, maintaining the
  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.

• No lifting over 35 pounds on an occasional basis.
  
• Obtain assistance.
• Avoid lifting objects that are too heavy for you!

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Office Equipment Safeguarding

• Copiers (sorting trays, moving parts).
• Paper Cutter guarding to avoid contact with the
  cutting blade by the opposing hand (hand holding
  the paper).
• When cutters are not in use, cutter should be
  down and the blade secured.

• Storage of letter openers and sharp tools (i.e.
  Exacto knives, scissors, etc.) should be
  appropriate to avoid tools rolling and falling
  off of desk surfaces.
• Use sheaths for knives and razors.

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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 and fans
• Paper cutters.

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In accordance with Lockout/Tagout policy
procedures...

• Office equipment has the potential to cause harm.
  If Out of Service Label Equipment OUT OF SERVICE!
• Notify Person Responsible for Equipment
  Service/Clear Jam.
• In order to clear a jam of electrically-powered
  office equipment, power must be turned off and
  disconnected from the power supply.

• Copiers that become jammed should be cleared in
  accordance with manufacturers instructions.
• Know the procedures for for safely clearing jams.
  
• Remain cognizant of areas which may be hot.
• Remember that power is still connected!

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Electrical Safety

• Shut off electrical equipment not in use!
• Properly equipped with grounding prongs.
• Electrical cords should be visually inspected on
  a periodic basis to identify frayed and worn
  cords.
• Maintain electrical cords in areas out of
  walkways and passageways.
• Extension cords limited to 60 day use in office
  areas.

• Surge protectors may not be overloaded and may
  not be used as an extension cord for other
  office equipment. Do not plug a power strip into
  another power strip.
• Dont overload outlets and surge protectors!
• Combustible material, such as paper, may not be
  stored on or in close proximity to electrical
  outlets and connections.

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Heat Generating Equipment

• Ensure 18 or more of clearance from other
  combustibles
• UL listed
• Grounding prongs
• Plug into outlet directly
• Heaters not permitted unless approved by OSP
  Safety Director.
• Shut it off!

• Coffee pot
• Toaster oven
• Microwave
• Mug warmer
• Heaters
• Cooling fans
• Other electrical stuff

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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 Safety Office.
• Handle store the material properly, in
  accordance with the MSDS.

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Report injuries near-hits

• Learn from near-misses to prevent serious
  injuries.
• Report injuries to your supervisor, Workers
  Compensation Administrator and the Safety
  Director.
• Primary Goal Prevent Recurrence!

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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?

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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

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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.