Top seven safety tips for office workers

6/2/2020 (Permalink)

With their climate control, soft chairs and armrests, office environments don’t conjure up thoughts of workplace hazards like, say, construction sites.

It’s true, office workers are at lower risk for workplace injuries than most, but it’s still important to talk about safety with office employees.

Here are seven safety tips for office workers to prevent workplace injuries:

• Make sure your desk setup is ergonomic
  

  To maintain a neutral posture, your head should be centered over your neck and shoulders, wrists flat and elbows resting comfortably at your side. If your feet won’t touch the ground unless you lean forward, use a footrest. See our post on workplace ergonomics and neutral posture for more information on setting up an ergonomic workstation.

• Take regular breaks to get up and move around
  

  Sitting all day puts office workers at risk for numerous health problems. Our warm up and stretching guide  gives you easy exercises you can do at work, and you can find more resources on our Get up and Move page.

• When it’s slippery due to ice and snow, walk like a penguin when entering and leaving your office
  

  Winter slips and falls in parking lots are extremely common. To avoid them, walk like a penguin by walking flat footed taking short, slow steps. It’s also important to wear sensible footwear and carry only what you can handle. For more information and downloadable resources, visit our winter slip-and-fall prevention page.

• Use a headset for prolonged or frequent phone use
  

  Cradling the phone between your shoulder and ear can cause neck and back pain.

• Keep your workplace tidy
  

  Clean up spills immediately, keep aisles free of clutter, and tie up or secure cords so they don’t pose a trip hazard.

• Don’t let electrical cords create a fire risk
  

  Avoid running electrical cords under carpet or through windows and doorways. Also, don’t fasten them with unapproved devices, such as staples.

• Know your office emergency procedures
  

  Make sure you know what to do in the event of a fire, storm, violent intruder, medical problem or other emergency.

Source: https://www.sfmic.com/safety-tips-for-office-workers/