25 steps to healthier and safer business offices in Oudtshoorn

BUSINESS NEWS - A typical misconception is that safety and health precautions may not be a crucial factor to offices in Oudtshoorn, as very little manual labour or interaction with heavy machinery occurs.

However, office health and safety is just as important as in any other workplace. Offices are still governed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act, which holds employers responsible for ensuring the health and safety of employees and visitors to the premises.

Office work involves work tasks performed while sitting on a chair at a desk, making use of a computer and being in an environment that is climate-controlled. Despite this, numerous hazards and risks are involved which may lead to severe injuries and illnesses.
To create and ensure an office environment is both healthy and safe, the following 25 steps can be followed.

Ensure a clutter-free environment
Items such as boxes and files stacked and stored along walkways create a tripping hazard. Walkways must be kept free of obstacles and materials must be stacked and stored in an appropriate location.
Electrical cords that run across walkways must be secured and covered, with the necessary warning signs in place.

Use stepladders, not chairs or desks
In a rush, people may use a chair or desk to stand on and office chairs are known to pose substantial risks. A stepladder must be made available and employees must be trained in its proper and safe use.

Clear line of vision
Office environments have numerous hallways and cubicles, and various intersections where people may collide into one another. This can be avoided by installing convex mirrors at intersections, making it easier for employees to see when someone is approaching a corner.

Make floors safer
Marble and tiles are commonly used in the office environment as they are a cost-effective flooring solution. However, these surfaces can become slippery, especially when they are wet.

Slip hazards can be avoided by making use of carpeting or putting in place other skid-resistant measures. Carpeting can also be placed at entrances, allowing employees to wipe wet shoes before they step into the building.
Where floors are being washed, the correct signage must be displayed warning those in proximity.

Shut open drawers immediately after use
File cabinets have drawers that can fully extend and too many open simultaneously may cause the cabinet to tip over. Lower drawers that are left open may be a tripping hazard while higher drawers could result in someone walking into them. Best practice is for drawers to be closed immediately after use.

Safe stacking
Heavy objects must be stacked at a safe height, close to the floor, to prevent stacks from tipping over and falling onto an employee.

Adjustable equipment
The office must be equipped with adjustable equipment such as chairs, work surfaces, monitor stands and others. This prevents ergonomic issues as well as injuries to employees.

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Provide training on equipment use
This can prevent both injuries and equipment damage. By training employees on how to use equipment, it ensures office health and safety and extends the life of equipment.

Keep feet firmly on the floor
Employees seated at their desk must ensure that their feet firmly touch the floor. This ensures that the chair provides adequate support and eliminates a fall hazard.

Make use of document holders
A lot of neck strain happens due to employees looking down towards the desk at documents with their backs against their computer monitors. This can be avoided by providing employees with document holders that can be placed next to their monitor.

Placement of the mouse
Even though many businesses may have replaced desktop computers with laptops, some still use desktop computers. Employees who use them must ensure they place the mouse in such a way that it can be accessed without causing strain to the employee’s neck or shoulder.

Use task lamps and dim the main lights
Most offices have florescent lights, and these tend to be too bright to achieve optimal vision, causing a lot of eyestrain. It is therefore recommended that lights be at half-normal levels and that employees use individual task lamps instead of using overall lighting.

Position monitors and laptop screens
Regardless of whether employees use desktop computers or laptops, it is still necessary that they position monitors and screens below eye level to avoid straining the eyes or the neck.

Minimise screen glare
Screen glare is one of the main causes of eyestrain in the office environment. To minimise this, employees must avoid positioning monitors or laptops opposite open windows or make use of shades, curtains, glare reduction filters or blinds.

Wear the right glasses
When visiting an optometrist, employees must indicate that they spend a substantial portion of time conducting computer work. This allows for the optometrist to inspect the efficiency of vision at the recommended distance and height.

Specialised glasses are available for use to reduce eyestrain when conducting computer work.

Increase the font size
Smaller font sizes may lead to employees straining their eyes and neck as they lean closer to read, often keeping their neck and head extended towards the screen for extended periods. This can be avoided by increasing font sizes so that text can be read from a safe distance.

Take frequent breaks
Employees must ensure that they take frequent breaks when conducting computer work to avoid eyestrain and fatigue.

Ensure that cords are in good repair
Electrical cords must be inspected frequently for signs of wear. Should they show any, they must be taken out of service, repaired or replaced.

Inspect space heaters
Employees who used space heaters must ensure that they are verified and safe for commercial use. The space heater must also be equipped with an automatic switch that switches the heater off if it is tipped over.
Heaters must be used in well-ventilated areas and not under desks. They must also be kept away from other electronics and combustible materials.

Fire sprinklers must be free from obstructions
Materials must not be stacked so high to a point of affecting the effectiveness of fire sprinklers.

Ensure that escape routes are clear and ensure that fire doors are kept closed
Escape routes must be kept free of obstructions and fire escape doors must not be propped open by any unapproved means.

Do frequent walkthroughs
By conducting frequent and random checks in the office environment, health and safety can be increased and it could aid hazard and risk identification.

Monitor signs of musculoskeletal disorders
By monitoring this, employees can be alerted early and they can make the necessary alterations to their workstations to prevent ergonomic issues and injuries.

Discuss employee concerns
Open, safe, and confidential platforms where employees can raise issues and concerns regarding health and safety must be created, allowing the employer to address them before they become larger issues.

Establish a reporting system
Employers must ensure a reporting system is in placed where employees can report hazards, risks and/or incidents.