Office Safety Tips

Date July 13, 2010

Apart from automobile accidents, falling is the leading cause of accidents in the workplace. Even if you work a boring desk job, you’re in danger of slipping, tripping, or stumbling your way to the emergency room. Fortunately, the majority of nasty spills are easily preventable by following a few simple safety tips.

  • Don’t lean back in your chair. Sure it’s fun to balance with two out of four legs on the ground, but it’s not so fun to tumble to the ground. Also, check to make sure your chair is beneath you before you sit. It sounds silly, but we all know it happens. Don’t let it happen to you or you’ll be the brunt of office jokes for the next year and the unhappy recipient of a bruised tailbone.
  • Be mindful of tripping hazards. Don’t leave electrical cables to your computer, telephone, or TV in the middle of any isles. Bundle the cords together and store them under your desk. Also be sure no boxes, chairs, or other inanimate objects are left in walking areas.
  • Always close drawers. It’s annoying and dangerous to leave open drawers aroundunsuspecting employees are likely to walk right into them causing pain and humiliation. Also, don’t store supplies on top of cabinets, only inside them. When someone walks into the drawer that shouldn’t be open you don’t want the pile of junk on top of the cabinet falling on them. Put the heaviest items in lower drawers.
  • Pay attention and look where you’re going. Don’t try to multitask by reading an important paper while walking through the office. On a similar note, WALK, don’t run. Wherever you’re headed will still be there if you slow your pace down.
  • Don’t overload wall sockets or extension cords with plugs. The more plugs in one place, the more likely you are to blow a fuse or cause an electrical accident. You also shouldn’t touch anything electrical with wet hands.
  • Clean up any spills immediately after they happen. If you drop your coffee and decide to clean it up later, chances are someone’s going to slip in it. Also, don’t eat or drink anything by the computereasy accidents could void the warranty and cause expensive malfunctions.

In addition to falling related accidents, safety precautions should be taken when dealing with cleaning supplies, toxic chemicals, kitchen areas, and rest room sanitation. You should store chemicals in clearly marked bottles in separate closets. Restrooms should be cleaned at least once a day and refrigerators should be cleaned once a week. Additionally, it is important to take out the trash so it doesn’t accumulate and spread hazardous diseases.

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