Here are more common office safety hazards, and a training tool to make managers and workers aware of them, the first step to defusing the threat.
In the seemingly calm environment of a modern office, it’s easy to forget that there are hazards. And that goes for managers as much as employees.
However calm it seems, though, the office is fraught with hazards. In yesterday’s Advisor, we listed some brought up by security company, Protection One. Here are more, as taught in the BLR interactive training program, Computer-Based Training: Office Safety.
Ventilation hazards. Do employees suffer from headaches, dizziness, or nausea? It could be from the air itself if, for example, your system intake is located near a parking or loading area, where vehicles spew carbon monoxide while idling. The same symptoms can also come from fumes emitted by copiers or other office equipment. The fixes are moving vents, adding filters, or relocating equipment, often at the suggestion of an HVAC professional.
Noise hazards. The clinking and clattering of copiers and printers can also damage hearing if it’s loud enough. The solution may be as simple as moving the equipment or putting in carpeting or soundproof dividers, but managers have to be aware of a problem before they can solve it.
Your people can teach themselves about office safety with BLR’s program, Computer Based Training: Office Safety. Try it at no cost or risk. Click for details.
Lighting hazards. Office lighting is more important now than ever as workers spend hour after hour staring at monitors. Fixes may involve not only changing bulbs and fixtures but also eliminating glare—inducing, reflective surfaces on furnishings, walls, or window coverings.
Ergonomic hazards. Ever since the words “carpal tunnel” gained widespread use (accompanied by injury lawsuits,), the physical fitting of worker to workspace has received greater emphasis. Proper ergonomics can often be gained by simply moving a desk or keyboard a few inches, but again, management has to be aware of the issue and its solutions first.
Lifting hazards. Anyone who’s moved a crate of copier paper knows this office danger. Employees need to be trained in the proper way to lift and, indeed, to not lift, if the weight is too great or their condition not up to it.
Accident hazards. What safety manager has not seen boxes in aisles or on stairs, or the ever-popular file drawer left wide open, waiting for a victim to slam into or trip over it? Electrical devices are another common hazard, as workers staple power cords to the wall, lift devices by the cord, or stick their fingers into high voltage circuits, trying to make them work.
These are among the more concrete safety demons that live in the office. There are others, more psychological, such as undue stress or latent violence. Managers need to know the signs of these, too, to take action before they cause an explosion or meltdown.
A Program to Make Managers Aware
In fact, this need for management awareness is first priority in defeating these threats. Among the easiest, quickest ways to make it happen is BLR’s interactive program, Computer Based Training: Office Safety.
Try BLR’s Computer Based Training: Office Safety at no cost or risk. Click for info.
In 51 illustrated slides, many with action features that call for trainee input, the program covers all the above risks, their symptoms and solutions. The program can be done independently by learners, at a convenient time (important to managers), and you don’t need to stand over them. Integrated quizzes along the way provide constant feedback and require trainees to relearn the material to move forward.
If you’d like to see how well this program can make your managers aware of safety hazards in their areas, you can do so at no cost or risk for up to 30 days. We encourage you to do so. Your managers may even thank you for it. Click here and we’ll be happy to set things up.