An employee spends a huge chunk of their time in the office. There are even those who consider it as their home away from home. To ensure everyone’s well-being during their stay, safety hazards in the workplace should be eliminated. Safety measures should also be put in place to prevent accidents from happening. Take a look at the guide below for suggestions on maintaining a safe and healthy work atmosphere.
Consider the installation of window film
Using commercial window film in the office shields you from UV rays, especially your skin and eyes. Too much exposure to UV rays could cause premature aging. You could have dark spots and wrinkles as signs of premature aging. Too much UV ray exposure could also cause skin cancer. Also, to minimize glare in the office, you should install window film.
Prevent trips, slips, and falls
These potentially fatal accidents can be avoided by doing the following:
- Inspect the flooring after the office has been built or after a renovation to ensure that the flooring is even.
- Install additional electrical outlets to avoid crisscrossing power cord trails.
- Leaking pipes should immediately be fixed. Spills should also be immediately cleaned.
- Put up warning signage if a spill has yet to be cleaned or if the floor has just been mopped.
- Remove trash and other possible obstacles from corridors and pathways.
Mind the cabinet
As much as possible, do not place filing cabinets next to doors and pathways because these can fall over during an earthquake. If ever this happens, the only exit can be blocked essentially trapping the people in that room or floor.
The cabinet drawers should also be shut after getting and replacing a file. This should be done to prevent accidents such as hitting one’s head or any other body part against the open drawer. Aside from this, one should also be mindful about the way the files are stacked inside the cabinet. For instance, a full top drawer with empty or partly filled bottom drawers may cause the cabinet to fall over. This can cause injuries to people whose work stations are near the area.
Fire safety
Smoke detectors and sprinkler systems should be installed throughout the office. Fire extinguishers should also be placed in highly visible areas. These firefighting tools should be routinely checked if they are still working properly. Furthermore, regular fire drills should also be conducted. The staff should also be trained on how to use the fire extinguishers and be aware of the location of escape routes and fire exits.
Lastly, furniture and other objects that can cause blockage should not be placed beside or in front of emergency exits; this can slow down the evacuation of the building. In case of an emergency, speedy evacuation is necessary to save as many lives as possible.
Now that you are familiar with office safety measures, check if these are being followed in your workplace. If you notice a potential safety hazard, please inform your supervisor immediately or as an alternative, raise the concern in the next office meeting. Doing this will take your workplace one step closer to safety.