Stay Fit, Stay Safe: A Roadmap to Office Worker Health and Safety

When thinking about the office, health and safety may seem like a minor concern. After all, how dangerous can a room full of desks be? Well, not all health and safety hazards are obvious or immediately recognisable. 

Just like any other workplace, the office has health and safety hazards that must be identified, monitored and controlled.

In this blog, we’ll be diving into the most common health and safety hazards you’re likely to come across in the office and advise how to best control and mitigate them. We’ll also explain what your responsibilities are for remote workers and how you can provide proper health and safety no matter where they work from. 

Let’s get started. 

1. Manual handling 

Manual handling happens everywhere, including the office. It’s a simple concept, but it comes with hazards. Whether it’s lifting, moving or carrying items by hand, manual handling can cause short term and long term injuries. 

From desks to boxes of paper, offices are filled with items that can be manually handled, and these activities can be classified into two groups: heavy lifts and repetitive lifting. 

To avoid injuries from manual handling, businesses should provide basic training on how to lift and how to reduce the load risk, as well as providing employees with lifting equipment and H&S posters. 

2. Improper lighting 

Poor lighting can cause a variety of issues, both short and long term. If working in the wrong lighting, employees can suffer eye strain and fatigue, making work harder and mistakes easier to make. 

There may be too little lighting, too much lighting, poorly distributed lighting or flickering lighting. To get around this, light bulbs should be changed regularly, rooms should be equipped with windows and blinds, light fixtures should be cleaned regularly, walls should be painted with light colours, and desk lights should be provided. 

3. Ergonomic hazards

Ergonomics is the science of suiting a workplace environment and tasks to a worker, rather than forcing employees to fit into these environments and tasks, as this can lead to discomfort and injury. Ergonomic hazards cause wear and tear on the body and can cause injury - which often come to light down the line. 

Ergonomic hazards that can be found in an office include repetition of movement, awkward or uncomfortable sitting posture, staying stationary for too long, changes in temperature, and work stress. 

Ergonomic hazards can be avoided with proper training and equipment. Some examples would be to provide adjustable tables and chairs that can be used by employees with a range of sizes and shapes, so that neutral postures can be found by each individual employee, or providing heating and suitable uniform for the colder months.

We offer a DSE assessment that ensures workers who use computers, laptops and other display screens are doing so safely, with as low risk as possible. Get in touch today to organise an assessment. 

4. Slips, trips and falls 

Of the 1.8 million working people who suffered from a work-related illness in 2021/22 (according to HSE), slips, trips and falls were one of the most common causes of accidents. 

Not only does a slip or a trip cause immediate harm to an employee, it can also result in compensation being awarded if the employer was at fault. That’s why it’s so important to recognise hazards and handle them before the worst happens. 

By equipping your workplace with items such as H&S posters on keeping walkways clear, wet floor signs, hand-rails, suitable cleaning supplies for spills, and a step ladder, you can avoid the majority of these accidents. 

5. Fire safety hazards  

There are many fire hazards office workers and managers need to be aware of, such as insufficient fire doors, fire doors that are propped open or blocked, overloaded plug sockets, faulty wires, cluttered desks, and human error. 

Regular risk assessments will keep on top of hazards as they occur, enabling employees to be aware of the risks and put things in place to minimise them. 

Fire safety training and regular fire drills are recommended too, to ensure that the office workers know how to exit the building and where the designated meeting point is. This way, if a real fire were to occur, employees would be efficient in staying safe. 

6. Stress or mental strain

This is often overlooked as a health and safety hazard, but it shouldn't be. With 914,000 workers suffering work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2021/22 (according to HSE), protecting the mental wellbeing of your employees should be a priority. 

Investing in a strong mental health toolkit for the office and educating staff is key to promoting mental wellbeing and actively supporting your employees. Consider providing counselling, mental health first aiders, resources and campaigns. By breaking down the stigma of talking about mental health, you can open an environment where employees feel supported. 

7. Temperature changes 

The summers are getting hotter and the winters are getting colder, how are you accommodating this in your office space? 

Your employees are likely to find themselves either too hot or too cold throughout the year, and it’s the employer’s responsibility to resolve this. Managing workplace temperatures can be difficult, especially with the cost of living crisis. However, there are many things that can be put in place to ensure your employees are comfortable and working to the best of their abilities. 

In the hotter months, proper ventilation, air conditioning, fans, hybrid working, uniform adaptations, curtains/blinds, access to plenty of water, and extra breaks should be provided to make working easier. There are many accommodations that can be made in the colder months, which we have a full blog post on. 

How do these risks affect remote workers? 

Employers are still responsible for the health and safety of their employees, even if they work from home. Under the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974, employers have a duty of care to ensure the health, safety and welfare of remote working employees. 

Legally, employers must conduct a risk assessment of remote workers’ environments, to ensure they’re safe and healthy. Usually, they do not need to visit the home of the employee and can instead ask the employee to conduct a self-assessment of their home office/workspace and equipment. However, if the employee is disabled or vulnerable, it is suggested that the employer visit the home to ensure the correct equipment and adjustments are provided. 

Prioritising office health and safety with CT H&S 

We offer a wide range of services, training courses, certifications (and much more) that are designed to ensure your office workplace is safe and prioritising the health of your staff. 

If you have questions regarding your office health and safety or anything else we offer, please send an email to clive@cthealthandsafety.com or call Clive on 07956 074798. 

Clive will offer bespoke advice and guidance that's relevant to your organisation.