1. Office safety:-
Hazards such as a slipperyfloororanopenfile drawer,amodernoffice mayalsocontainhazards
such as poorlighting,noise,poorlydesignedfurniture andequipment,andmachineswhichemit
noxiousgasesandfumes.Eventhe nature of office workitself hasproducedawhole hostof stress-
relatedsymptomsandmusculoskeletalstrains.Forexample,longhoursatthe videodisplayterminal
(VDT) can cause painsin the neckand back,eyestrain,anda general feelingof tensionand
irritability.
The leading types of disabling accidents that occur within the office are:
 Falls
 Strains and over-exertion
 Struck by or striking objects
 Caught in or between objects.
In addition, office workers are also injured as a result of foreign substances in the eye, spilled hot
liquids, burns from fire, and electric shock.
Common Office Safetyand Health Hazards - Ventilation
Sourcesof air pollutioninthe office thatcancause healthproblemsinclude:
Natural agents(e.g.,carbonmonoxide,microorganisms,radon)
Syntheticchemicals(e.g.,formaldehyde,cleaningfluids,cigarettesmoke,asbestos).
An adequate officeventilationsystemwhichdeliversqualityindoorairandprovidesforcomfortable
humidityandtemperature isanecessity.
Where printingorcopyingmachinesare present,anexhaustventilationsystemwhichdraws
particulatesandgasesawayfromthe employees'breathingzone shouldbe present.
Office machinesandventilationsystemcomponentsshouldbe checkedandmaintainedonaregular
basis.
Common Office Safetyand Health Hazards - Illumination
Lightingproblemsinthe office cause:
Glare
Shadows
Visual problems(i.e.,eyestrain,fatigue,double-vision,etc.).
Poorlightingalsocan be a contributingfactorinaccidents.
Controlstopreventpoorlightingconditionsinclude:
Regularmaintenance of the lightingsystem
Light-coloreddull finishonwalls,ceilings,andfloorstoreduce glare
Adjustable shadesonwindows
Indirectlighting.
Common Office Safetyand Health Hazards - Noise

2. In an office,workerscanbe subjectedtomanynoise sources,suchas:
Videodisplayterminals
High-speedprinters
Telephones
Human voices.
Noise canproduce tensionandstress,aswell asdamage to hearing.Some of the numerous
measuresavailable tocontrol unwantednoiseinclude:
Place noisymachinesinanenclosedspace
Use carpeting,draperies,andacoustical ceilingtilestomuffle noise
Adjusttelephone volume toitslowestlevel
Rearrange trafficrouteswithinthe office toreduce trafficwithinandbetweenworkareas.
Common Office Safetyand Health Hazards - Physical Layout/Housekeeping
Poor designand/orpoorhousekeepingcanleadtocrowding,lackof privacy,slips,trips,andfalls.
The followingare importantfactorsrelatedtooffice layoutandorderliness:
At least3 feetdistance betweendesksandatleast50 square feetperemployee
Keeptelephone andelectrical cordsoutof aisles
Group employeeswhouse the same machines
Office machinesshouldbe keptawayfromedgesof desksandtables
Regularinspection,repair,andreplacementof faultycarpets
Place mats inside buildingentrances
Properplacementof electrical,telephone,andcomputerwires.
Common Office Safetyand Health Hazards - Exits/Egress
Blockedor improperlyplannedmeansof egresscanleadtoinjuriesasa resultof slips,trips,and
falls.If,duringanemergency,employeesbecome trappeddue toimproperegress,more serious
injuriesorfatalitiesmayresult.
Controlstoensure propermeansof egressinclude:
All exitaccessmustbe at least28 incheswide
Generallytwoexitsshouldbe provided
Exitsand accessto exitsmustbe marked
Means of egress,includingstairwaysusedforemergencyexit,shouldbe free of obstructionsand
adequatelylit

3. Employeesmustbe aware of exitsandtrainedinproceduresforevacuation
A seriousproblemassociatedwithoffice designisthe potential for creatingfire hazards.Another
dangerfoundinmodernofficesiscombustible materials(e.g.,furniture,rugs,fibers) whichcan
easilyignite andoftenemittoxicfumes.
A number of stepscan be taken to reduce office fire hazards:
Store unusedrecords/papersinfire resistantfilesorvaults
Use flame-retardantmaterials
Smoke onlyindesignatedareasanduse properashtrays
Fire extinguishersandalarmsshouldbe conspicuouslyplacedandaccessible
Common Office Safetyand Health Hazards - Handlingand Storage Hazards
Improperliftingcancause musculoskeletal disorderssuchassprains,strains,andinflamedjoints.
Office materialsthatare improperlystoredcanleadtohazards suchas objectsfallingonworkers,
poor visibility,andfires.There are several controlswhichcanreduce handlingandstorage hazards.
Materialsshouldnotbe storedon topof cabinets.
Heavyobjectsshouldbe storedonlowershelvesandmaterialsstackedneatly.
Materialsshouldbe storedinside cabinets,files,orlockerswheneverpossible.
Materialsmustnot be storedinaisles,corners,orpassageways.
Fire equipmentshouldremainunobstructed.
Flammable andcombustible materialsmustbe identifiedandproperlystored.
Material SafetyData Sheetsmustbe providedforeachhazardouschemical identified.
An effective control programincorporatingemployee awarenessandtrainingandergonomicdesign
of work taskscan reduce backinjuries.
Common Office Safetyand Health Hazards - Electrical Equipment
Electrical accidentsinan office usuallyoccuras a resultof faultyor defectiveequipment,unsafe
installation,ormisuse of equipment.The followingguidelinesshouldbe adheredtowheninstalling
or usingelectrical equipment:
Equipmentmustbe properlygroundedto preventshockinjuries
A sufficientnumberof outletswillpreventcircuitoverloading
Avoidthe use of poorlymaintainedornon-approvedequipment
Cordsshouldnotbe draggedovernails,hooks,orothersharpobjects
Receptaclesshouldbe installedandelectricequipmentmaintainedsothatnolive partsare exposed
Machinesshouldbe disconnectedbeforecleaningoradjusting.Generally,machinesandequipment
shouldbe lockedortaggedout duringmaintenance.
Common Office Safetyand Health Hazards - Office Furniture

4. Defective furniture ormisuse of chairsorfile cabinetsbyoffice workerscanleadtoseriousinjuries.
Listedhere are controlsrelatedtochairsand cabinets:
Chairsshouldbe properlydesignedandregularlyinspectedformissingcasters,shakylegs,andloose
parts
Do not leanbackin a chair withyourfeetona desk
Do not scootacross the floorwhile sittingonachair
Neverstandona chairto reach an overheadobject
Openonlyone file drawerata time
Do not locate file cabinetsclosetodoorwaysorinaisles
Use drawerhandlestoclose file drawers.
Common Office Safetyand Health Hazards - Office Machinery
Machineswithingoingnippointsorrotatingparts can cause lacerations, abrasions,fractures,and
amputationsif notadequatelyguarded.
Machinessuch as conveyors,electrichole punches,andpapershredderswithhazardousmoving
parts mustbe guardedsothat office workerscannotcontactthe movingparts.
Fans musthave substantial basesandfanbladesmustbe properlyguarded.
Common Office Safetyand Health Hazards - Ladders,Stands, and Stools
Improperuse of ladders,ladderstands,andstoolscanleadto falls.The followingcontrolswill help
reduce ladderrelatedinjuries:
Workersshouldalwaysface the ladderwhenclimbingupordown
Laddersshouldbe inspectedregularlytoensure theyare ingoodcondition
The top of a laddershouldnotbe usedas a step
Laddersmustonlybe usedwhentheyare fullyopenandthe spreadersare locked
Common Office Safetyand Health Hazards - Office Tools
Misuse of office tools,suchaspens,pencils,paper,letteropeners,scissors,andstaplers,cancause
cuts, punctures,andrelatedinfections.Injuriescanbe preventedbyfollowingprecautionswhen
usingthese materials:
Papercutters - Keepblade closedwhennotinuse.A guardshouldbe providedandfingersshouldbe
keptclear
Staplers - Alwaysuse a staple remover.Nevertestajammedstaplerwithyourthumb
Pencils,pens,scissors,etc. - Store sharpobjectsina draweror withthe pointdown.Neverhand
someone asharp objectpointfirst.
Common Office Safetyand Health Hazards - PhotocopyingMachines
Potential healthhazardsassociatedwithphotocopyingmachinesinclude:
Toxicchemicals

5. Excessive noise
Intense light.
Photocopyingmachinescanalsobe a source of indoorair pollutionwhenusedinofficesthatare not
well ventilated.
Use the controls listedbelow toreduce hazards:
Keepthe documentcoverclosed
Reduce noise exposure byisolatingthe machine
Place machinesinwell-ventilatedroomsawayfromworkers'desks
Have machinesservicedroutinelytopreventchemical emissions
Avoidskincontactwithphotocopyingchemicals
Cleanall spillsanddispose of waste properly.
Common Office Safetyand Health Hazards - VideoDisplayTerminals
Healthhazards relatedtovideodisplayterminal(VDT) use involve:
Radiation
Noise
Eye irritation
Low-back,neck,andshoulderpain
Stress.
Studieshave shownthat the radiationlevelsemittedfromVDTsare well below those allowedby
currentstandards.However,tominimizeanypotential exposure,onlyequipmentforwhichthe
manufacturerwill supplydataonemissionsshouldbe used.
To minimize noise,VDTsshouldnotbe clusteredandsoundabsorbentscreenscanbe usedif
needed.