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Safe Tips: General Office Safety

March, 2007

Some things never change and others do. The same is true with office safety. Some areas in office safety habits are the same as they were for years; but with new office technology and automation, there are some changes.

To get 2007 off to a flying start, safety tips in the office are needed to refresh the experienced folks that have been around for some time. For new employees that need to be made aware, we shall review some tips and hints to help us stay focused and free from possible injuries.

FALLS: Falls are the most common of all office accidents and account for the greatest number of disabling injuries. The disabling injury rate of falls among office workers is 2.0 to 2.5 times higher than the rate of non-office employees.

Accidents in the office come in many different ways, such as: bending and twisting in the office chair, tripping over open drawers, tripping over electrical and phone cords, and overhead reaching from a chair or stack of boxes. Following are some tips that, if remembered and used, will help to reduce the possibility of these injuries,

  • Keep walkways and pathways clear to your office desk or other destinations.
  • Close drawers after each use.
  • Avoid excessive bending, twisting, and leaning backward while seated.
  • Clean up spills immediately.
  • Pick up objects off the floor, even if they were there from a co-worker.
  • Use a stepladder for overhead reaching. Refrain from using a chair or stack of boxes.
  • Keep electronic and phone cords clear of walkways.
  • Report loose carpeting, broken tiles, or other problems with faulty flooring.
  • Make sure that you have clear vision to your destination when carrying loads.

If you do get into a situation where you feel a fall or trip coming, try to roll your body instead of grabbing or reaching out with an arm or leg. Your chances of a broken limb are much greater trying to break a fall with a limb than rolling with your body.

TIPS FOR SAFE LIFTING:

  • Lift with a balanced stance. Your feet should be spread at the width of your shoulders and you should lift from the squat position instead of bending over.
  • Keep your back in a straight position with your chin tucked so as to keep the head and neck in a straight line with your back.
  • Lift by straightening your legs. Lift with your leg muscles and not your back muscles.
  • Don’t twist when lifting. If you have to turn, turn with your whole body.
  • To set a load down, use the reverse of lifting, which is with your leg muscles in a squat and not in a bend.

WORK STATION ARRANGEMENTS:

  • Chair and body positions in a chair are critical in offsetting fatigue during the workday.
  • Chair heights should be set so that your legs sit horizontal and your feet flat on the floor.
  • The backrest of your chair should be set so that you are resting against it and the back of your leg resting comfortably against the seat pad.
  • Your arms at your sides and at the elbow should be close to a 90-degree angle with the arm rests on the chair adjusted for them to rest on.
  • Adjust the height of the keyboard so that your fingers rest on the home row when the arms are at your side.
  • The mouse should be placed close to the keyboard and the wrist in a neutral position with the arm and hand close to your body.
  • The top of the monitor should be at eye level. If you wear glasses and bifocals or trifocals are used, adjust the monitor so that it is positioned with your head not tilted back.
  • If the person is too short for their feet to rest flat on the floor, a footrest might be necessary for them to work comfortably.

MISCELLANEOUS TIPS FOR GOOD WORKING PRACTICES:

  • Adjust the light with drapes or blinds, whichever you have.
  • Move your monitor away from glare as much as possible. You might have to install an anti-glare screen.
  • Take mini-breaks to rest your eyes and muscles.
  • Neutralize distracting noises, such as music or load voices, with a fan or maybe using ear plugs if it becomes that distracting.
  • Keep your area comfortable, temperature wise, as much as possible. Maybe you need an extra fan for summer and a heater for winter if the office conditions aren’t acceptable for good working conditions.

I hope these tips, serving as a reminder, will help all of us have a more comfortable working climate for 2007.

BE AWARE OF SLIP,TRIPS & FALLS
DON’T LET YOUR DAY SLIP AWAY!!

Excerpts: www.cdc.gov/nasd

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