In many discussions around Occupational Health & Safety I hear employees and managers saying “it doesn’t really apply to us, it’s more about building sites isn’t it?”
The reality is, any workplace had the potential to have an incident which could to lead to a serious injury or even a fatality, so we all must ensure we are compliant with the OHS standards. It is also essential that all staff are trained on how to identify, report and manage these situations.
For example, you might say an office environment is pretty safe but have a think about whether these common office hazards, and possible consequences. Ask yourself if they exist in your workplace?
- Poor or inadequate lighting – may result in a fall or damage to eyesight
- Chairs and desks not set for the right posture or height of an employee – Ergonomic hazards for neck, back and shoulder pain, along with RSI
- Boxes of paper or other general items that need to be moved about – can result in back injury due of lack of training in manual handling.
- Cords attached to PCs, lights, heaters and other appliances – may lead to an electrical hazard
These are only a few potential hazards that can be present in an office workplace. To help place yourself at the lowest possible risk level, the following few tasks are essential:
- Familiarise yourself with the relevant OHS standards
- Make all employees aware of those standards
- Train all employees on how to behave should any incidents occur
- Make all the relevant and necessary information available to everyone
- Conduct regular inspections around the workplace to ensure everyone is compliant.
While all these requirements may seem overwhelming on your own, HR Central can provide the tools and templates to keep you informed on what you need to do. We will also provide guidance on how to do it , giving you the chance to speak with one of our team to talk you through any new or difficult situation. Its well worth it for the safety of your employees.