Top 3 Tips For Maintaining Safety And Health In The Office

Top 3 Tips For Maintaining Safety And Health In The Office
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Since 2020, the U.S recorded approximately 5,333 fatal occupational injuries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many people associate workplace injuries with the most dangerous jobs such as roofing, fishing, and oil mining. They assume the office is a safe and comfortable working environment. After all, with the soft chairs, climate controls, and tidy space, it's impossible to get injured or sick. While offices seem safe, they have many hazards like any other workplace environment. That's why it's crucial to discuss health and safety with office workers. Remember, workplace hazards affect not only your worker's well-being but also their productivity. With this in mind, check out these top 3 tips for maintaining safety and health in the office.

Engage Everyone In Enhancing Office Safety

Addressing potential workplace hazards is the key to promoting wellness in your office. Therefore, schedule a meeting with your staff to discuss risks they are likely to face when working. Common safety risks employees encounter every day include electrical hazards, insecure filing cabinets, trip and fall hazards. After getting your employees' input, brainstorm together possible ways to make the office safe and healthy. Make sure to test all the solutions before adding them to your workplace health and safety plan. Also, assign one or two of your employees the duty of performing regular checks to ensure the workspace remains safe.

Invest In Ergonomic Furniture

It's natural for office workers who spend a considerable amount of time working from a desk to think they are free from physical injury. The truth is, sitting all day increases the chances of ergonomic issues. Poor ergonomics leads to office injuries like lower back injuries and muscle strains. One way you can enhance office health is by investing in ergonomic furniture. Consider fitting desks and chairs that allow your staff to maintain a neutral posture, where the head is centered over the shoulder and neck, the elbows are resting comfortably, with the wrists flat.

Maintain Cleanliness 

As a general rule of thumb, employees should clean up drinks or ink spills immediately. Doing so prevents the risk of slips and falls. Electrical cords also increase the chances of tripping hazards, especially when they lie crisscrossed across the floor. To ensure staff and visitors don't trip, run your electrical cords against the wall or in a way no one can trip on them. Likewise, keep your office's aisles and hallways free of clutter and clean. In addition to reducing trips and falls, maintaining a clean office promotes better health. Make it a habit to dust surfaces and sanitize high touch points to prevent the spread of germs that cause respiratory allergies and other diseases. 

As much as the office space doesn't evoke thoughts of injuries and illnesses, office workers are at risk of falling sick or getting injured like they would at construction sites and oil mines. Fortunately, maintaining health and safety in offices is less complicated. It only takes some research to identify potential risks, create a safety program, fit ergonomic furniture, and keep spaces tidy.

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