Photo By Jennifer Bacchus | Opening too many file cabinet drawers can be a safety hazard in office work areas.... read more read more
ANNISTON ARMY DEPOT, Ala. -- Most people do not think of hazards when offices or cubicles are mentioned.
Fall protection equipment may not be used, but thousands of people are injured in cubicles each year.
There are no drill presses, band saws or heat-related illnesses to worry about, but threats still exist.
The hazards are not obvious, as they may be in a machine shop.
Though the perils are different, there are still hazards to address.
The real threat of the office is lack of awareness.
People become complacent and do not necessarily think of an office or cubicle as a hazardous place.
With office employees surrounded by filing cabinets and a maze of cubicle walls creating blind spots, injuries can occur during everyday office work.
Office equipment, such as copy machines or printers, can be dropped while being moved by an employee.
Cubicle hazards can develop through misuse of office equipment, such as overloading an electrical outlet or daisy chaining.
Fatigue and musculoskeletal problems can also develop from sitting still for lengthy periods at a workstation.
Following are steps you can take to prevent office hazards:
• Stay clutter free: Boxes, files, and various items piled in walkways create a tripping hazard.
Be certain all materials are safely stored in their proper location to prevent clutter in walkways.
In addition to posing an electrical hazard, stretching cords across walkways or under rugs creates a tripping hazard. Ensure all cords are properly secured and covered.
• Shut the drawer: There is a variety of objects which can strike or pinch workers, injuring them in their cubicle.
File cabinets are a major source of office injuries.
If too many drawers are opened, file cabinets could tip over, if not secured. Additionally, open desk drawers and file cabinets pose a tripping hazard.
Always completely close drawers when not in use.
• Maintain a clear line of sight: Workers can collide when turning down hallways and around blind corners or cubicle walls.
The National Safety Council suggests installing convex mirrors at intersections to help reduce collisions.
If workers can see someone coming around a corner, collisions are less likely to occur.
People can bump into or trip over unattended open drawers and drawers can be pulled out too far, accidentally, and dropped.
• Step on up: Standing on chairs, particularly rolling office chairs, is a significant fall hazard.
Workers who need to reach something at an elevated height should use a stepladder. Stepladders must be fully opened and placed on level, firm ground. Workers should never climb higher than the step indicated as the highest safe standing level.
• Take a break: Eyestrain and irritation can develop from prolonged use of computer screens and keyboards.
Giving your eyes a rest and allowing them to focus on things at varying distances can help reduce eyestrain and fatigue.
OSHA recommends workers take a 10-minute break for every hour spent on the computer. These breaks can include working on tasks requiring the eyes to focus on objects at a further distance.
If you have additional questions about maintaining a safe working environment, contact the Safety Office at Ext. 7541.
| Date Taken: | 04.02.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 04.02.2020 09:03 |
| Story ID: | 366410 |
| Location: | AL, US |
| Web Views: | 104 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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