Last Updated on Mar 25, 2020 by James W
Office safety is a hot topic in the business world these days. If you don’t have a safe working environment, people will not want to work at your premises. It’s as simple as that! It doesn’t matter whether you own or lease your office building.
What does matter is that you keep on top of your health and safety responsibilities. So, are you assuming that your office building is a safe one? Think again! The shocking truth is that most places have plenty of hazards just waiting to strike! Here are some of the things you need to check:
Overloaded electrical sockets
It’s no secret that employees often charge their mobile phones and other devices at work. But, some offices might not offer plenty of electrical sockets. That is especially true of older office buildings.
To get around that problem, some workers will use extension blocks or plugs for extra sockets. What they seldom realize is that such actions are unsafe and can overload those sockets.
In the best case scenario, the circuit will “trip” until the extra plugs get removed. But, that might not always happen. As you can imagine, electrical wiring can overheat and melt. That can then increase the chances of a fire starting.
Little to no protection for window cleaners
It’s usually easy to clean the inside of office windows. But, what about the outside? Window cleaners often use two methods to clean multi-storey building windows from the outside. First, they use an extendable brush from ground level. And, second, they abseil down or use a lifting platform from the roof.
For the first case, you should ensure that your window cleaners mark the working area. That means putting up cones and signs warning people to walk around the cleaners. But, what about the second scenario?
It makes sense to install equipment such as a lifting platform for their use. You also need to prevent them from falling over the edge of the roof. One way to stop that happening is by getting a guardrail installed. In many parts of the world, this is also a legal rule associated with health and safety laws.
Untidy working areas
Sometimes the cause of a trip or fall hazard might be down to an untidy working area! Let’s face it; there isn’t anyone on the planet that works from a clean and tidy desk.
You will always find paperwork, stationery, and other items strewn across the desk. There could even be piles of paper, boxes and even electronic parts lying around.
If someone walks past such a desk without looking ahead of them, they could trip and get injured. If there are any sharp or dangerous items on or around the desk, you can imagine how worse those injuries will get!
Everyone in your office needs to make a concerted effort to keep their workstations tidy. You might need to get them storage units like drawers or filing cabinets to encourage that to happen.
Thanks for reading today’s article!
