Office Health & Safety

Whilst it is true that office workers are not exposed to the same risks experienced by employees in factories, plants or construction sites it is an unwelcome fact that approximately 2000 office workers are absent from work for more than three days every year because of a workplace accident.

These figures alone conceal the real extent of the problem by only illustrating recorded incidents and they also fail to reflect those office workers who suffer ill-health effects as a consequence of their work.

Clearly complacency about office health and safety is an attitude that no employee or safety representative should tolerate and one that no employer can afford.

This guide is a brief introduction on how to begin mitigating the potential hazards in the workplace. It is worth remembering that the overwhelming majority of accidents in the office are avoidable and happen as a result of ’human factors’ - which means there is ample scope for both employer and employee to take reasonably simple and practicable measures to reduce the risk of accidents.

Risk Assessment

The initial step in evaluating office safety is conducting a risk assessment.

A risk assessment is a legal obligation under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and if a company has more than five employees it needs to be written down. The risk assessment should be performed by a ’competent person’, and in the majority of cases will not require a particularly elaborate process.

Employers and safety representatives should start by establishing what are the main hazards in their office. They should also look at the following areas, all of which require assessing according to health and safety legislation:

 Noise
 Hazardous substances
 Manual handling
 Display screen equipment
 Machinery
 Personal protective equipment

Under the Management of Health and Safety Work Regulations employees have a right to be consulted on safety arrangements and should participate in any risk assessment.

Manual Handling

There are always occasions when clerical staff need to move equipment, furniture or boxes and if you understand the procedures of manual handling this could help prevent unnecessary injury.

A strained back may mean several days off sick and could even provide good cause for a personal injury claim.

According to the British Safety Council around a third of all accidents in the banking and finance sector which require an absence from work of three days or more are due to poor manual handling.

Some of the basic points to observe whenever you need to lift an object are:

 Always lift by bending and using your legs, never bend your back which should remain straight at all times during the procedure
 Never carry more than you feel you can manage
 Always distribute the weight of the load you are carrying
 Do not attempt to carry a load with one arm

Like all potential hazards the best way to avoid manual handling injury is to avoid lifting altogether. Consider if a trolley can transport the load instead.

But if there is no alternative to manual lifting, legislation obliges an employer to consider the following four factors:

 The task
 The load
 The working environment
 The individual’s capability

Chemical Hazards

At first glance the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) 1994 Regulations would seem irrelevant to the average office. But not only do they oblige an employer to conduct a risk assessment they are still applicable to the office environment.

Any substances present in your office may appear relatively benign but even in the most basic workplace there will be cleaning materials - such as bleach - that have the potential to injure if used or stored unwisely. Make sure the people who are exposed to these chemicals understand the hazards posed by the materials and how they should be used to prevent harm occurring.

In the majority of offices there will be inks and toners for photocopiers and printers, which must be installed and disposed off properly. Even such ubiquitous items as correction fluid or special cleaners for VDU’s or printers must be used correctly. If in doubt check with the supplier to verify the guidelines for use, and adhere to them carefully.

Electrical appliances

According to HSE figures, in 1993/94, there were at least 10 major injuries and 18 accidents that resulted in more than three days off work. These figures do not include unreported accidents or trivial electric shocks. And do you know that currents as low as 50 milliamps - which is only a fifth of the current used by a 60-watt light bulb - can prove fatal?

Employers have a duty to ensure that electrical equipment is maintained in a safe condition. In certain cases this means performing regular checks but the HSE recommend for a low risk environment like an office, "regular visual inspections rather than testing, should be enough to secure compliance with the legal requirement to maintain electrical equipment". The HSE also advise that employers should observe the following:

 Overloaded sockets are a potential fire hazard - do provide enough socket outlets to avoid or reduce the use of adapters
 Do not use taped joints to connect cables as they lack the necessary mechanical solidity and adequate insulation and are not impervious to liquids. Damaged cables should be replaced completely but if they have to be connected a professional contractor should be hired
 Do conduct your own visual inspections of plugs and leads and get them repaired if necessary. In particular be vigilant regarding any physical wear to the flex, deterioation of the cord grip at the plug and signs of overheating. Any faults identified should only be rectified by someone competent enough to perform the task effectively and safely
 Do consider whether you have equipment that requires a more comprehensive inspection and test or because of the installation itself warrants a separate test. For example, office equipment that is frequently relocated or has a lead which experiences substantial twisting may develop an internal fault.
 Do not ignore obvious warning signs such as faulty switching or intermittent stopping. These may indicate an internal fault such as loose wiring which could cause external metalwork to become live and dangerous
 Do switch off equipment before unplugging or cleaning
 Do find out how to deal with an electric shock incident. For further information contact the HSE help line on 0541 545500 quoting reference ISBN 071 7611 23X
 Do encourage colleagues to report faulty electrical equipment; delay may allow a small fault to become a dangerous one
 Do ensure that colleagues are aware of these safety precautions
 Do maintain vigilance on electrical safety; remember complacency is potentially fatal

The HSE provide further advice in their leaflet "Maintaining portable electrical equipment in offices and other low-risk environments".

Remember that the safety representative’s role is to check that your employer is complying with these requirements. A safety representative is not responsible for discharging the employer’s health and safety obligations.

Fire hazards

If there were a fire, would you know where to locate the fire exits? And after evacuation, where to assemble? Or if you happened to detect a fire, would you know what action to take?

All employers are obliged to assess the risk of fire in their workplace, and if there are more than five people employed, record the results in writing.

The correct number and type of fire extinguisher should be provided and maintained by competent engineers. Only professionals, such as someone from the local fire service should train staff in the use of fire extinguishers.

It is imperative that the right fire extinguisher is deployed against a certain type of fire. Using water on an oil based fire for instance will not only endanger the person attempting to fight the fire but will also help its spread.

A Company that maintains a clean and tidy office and does not allow waste paper to accumulate will help reduce the possibility of an office conflagration. Safety representatives should be monitoring such employer practices.

Smoking

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations implicitly oblige employers to ensure the protection of non-smokers against discomfort caused by tobacco smoke.

This necessitates the provision of separate areas for smokers and non-smokers, or banning smoking in rest rooms and rest areas. Also, every workroom must be ventilated with sufficient supplies of fresh and purified air to dilute any contaminants and reduce odour such as tobacco smoke.

Employers are also subject to a common law duty of care to provide a safe place and system of work. This means that employers should act to resolve complaints from employees who believe their health is compromised by working in a smoky environment.

The Labour Research Department report that the anti-smoking group ASH has obtained legal advice that suggests that employers who fail to stop passive smoking are breaking the law. This opinion is based on the COSHH regulations that impose a duty on employers to ensure that the exposure of employees to substances hazardous to health is either prevented or adequately controlled, and that this includes exposure to tobacco smoke in the workplace.

As smoking is a health and safety issue, safety representatives have the right to be consulted prior to any non-smoking policy their employer may plan to implement

Temperature

Employers must ensure that during working hours, the temperature inside buildings (including offices) is "reasonable". Under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, there is only a minimum temperature stipulated, which is 16 degrees Celsius after the first hour of working, unless the work involves strenuous physical exertion.

Whilst there is no maximum temperature ceiling legislated for, the British Safety Council cite research which concludes that when people experience temperatures in excess of 24 degrees Celsius the propensity for accidents increases and work productivity diminishes. The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that the maximum air temperature should be 25 degrees Celsius. Safety Reps’ can use these figures and evidence to negotiate agreements that improve upon the minimum requirements of the law.

The test of what constitutes a "reasonable" temperature is inherently subjective; it would be fair to say that if the majority of the workforce consider they are too hot or too cold for most of the working day, then the temperature is unreasonable.

There exists no legal right to vacate the workplace as a result of extremes of heat and cold, unless there is "serious, imminent and unavoidable danger" (Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, 1992). But there is no reason why workplace reps should not negotiate a joint agreement on temperature, which sets out what will happen when the minimum and maximum levels are not maintained.

Some suggested measures to achieve satisfactory working temperatures include:

 Insulating pipes
 Providing air cooling plant
 Shading windows and siting desks away from radiators and other hot spots

You should be aware that under The Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act, 1963 in office premises where "members of the public are invited to resort" or any room which constitutes "railway premises", then the minimum temperature of 16 degrees Celsius need not apply unless it is "reasonably practicable".

Lighting

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 oblige employers to provide workplace lighting that is "suitable and sufficient", which should be natural light, so far is "reasonably practicable".

The regulations do not define what is "suitable and sufficient", but the stress on natural light is justified by research that indicates that people exposed to greater amounts of artificial light tend to be less healthier than those who are not.

Office workers using visual display screen equipment or performing detailed paperwork require a good lighting source without excessive glare. Poor lighting in corridors or on stairs can contribute to slips, trips or falls, whilst too much bright light can detract attention from otherwise obvious hazards. Safety representatives should be aware of these issues and check that their employer is adhering to the HSE guidance.

The HSE’s Lighting at work booklet (HSG38) provides further information.

Noise Control

Office noise can be a genuine problem as photocopiers, faxes, keyboards and printers can all increase the background level of noise (and the noise that people are forced to converse over) which can heighten stress and in turn can increase the incidence of accidents occurring. A calm and composed office is a healthier and safer office.

Some of the actions that can mitigate office noise, are:

 Replace older models with quieter equipment
 Install special sound reducing hoods on printers
 Use adjustable volume controls on telephones
 Position workstations away from the main sources of noise

Space

Overcrowded working conditions can damage health and productivity and increase the risks of fire and other hazards.

For these reasons inadequate working space is illegal, and under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 employers must ensure, as a minimum that 11 cubic metres should be allocated to each person.

Remember that 11 cubic metres may not be adequate if the room is cramped with equipment or furniture. The regulations propose that in an average room, where the ceiling is 2.4 metres high, a floor space of 4.6 square metres per person is necessary. If the ceiling is three metres or above, the minimum space decreases to 3.7 square metres.

Display screen equipment

The majority of office workers will use visual display units (VDUs/DSE) for part or even most of the day.

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 also cover microfiches and "process control screens". These regulations compel employers to:

 Assess the risks to health from DSE workstations and reduce the risks identified to the lowest level "reasonably practicable". The main risks relate to physical musculo-skeletal problems, visual fatigue and mental stress.
 Keep assessments up to date and reassess if a major change occurs, such as an increase in the amount of time spent using the DSE or if the lighting is significantly altered in the workplace
 Provide adequate health and safety training for users and on each occasion that the organisation of a workstation is changed
 Provide a free eyesight test on request, and provide further tests at regular intervals

These regulations are explained in more detail in a separate Reps Bulletin and for more information the HSE publish "Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992" (L26: Guidance notes);"Working with VDU’s (rev) 1998" IND(G) 63L

Safety

Slips, trips and falls, many of them occurring when staff are transporting or carrying loads, are the cause of most office accidents. They result from poor floor condition, inappropriate lighting and untidiness.

The employer who adheres to the following points can simply prevent such accidents occurring:

 Do not allow trailing leads to create tripping hazards
 Do clear up spillage’s immediately
 Do replace or repair worn floor coverings, carpets etc
 Do install handrails on stairways and ensure stairs are properly lit
 Do not leave obstructions in passageways and corridors

Safety representatives can help by checking whether employers are discharging their health and safety responsibilities by following HSE guidance.

Social Hazards

In terms of workplace stress, bullying and violence there exists no specific legislation. The common law duty of care can be instrumental in establishing liability in cases involving these social hazards.

It is important to note that claims for unlawful discrimination could be pursued under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. If bullying includes substantial elements of sexual or racial harassment, the Race Relations Act 1976 may be appropriate for seeking legal redress.

Stress

The HSE’s guidance on preventing workplace stress, "Stress at work -a guide for employers" [HS (G) 116] states that: "Ill health resulting from stress caused at work has to be treated the same as ill health due to other, physical causes present in the workplace.

This means that employers do have a legal duty to take reasonable care to ensure that health is not placed at risk through excessive and sustained levels of stress arising from the way work is organised, the way people deal with each other at their work or from the day-to-day demands placed on their workforce"

Safety reps can deploy their extensive rights under the "Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977" to investigate and pursue problems of work-related stress in the same way that they investigate any other workplace hazard.

Bullying

According to the British Safety Council, bullying at work is a problem that employer’s ignore at their peril, as employees, often supported by their trade union, have pursued a number of high-profile compensation cases.

Part of addressing the problem seriously is for a company to implement a prominent and clearly defined policy - formulated in consultation with employer and employees - and describing the type of conduct that is unacceptable and the disciplinary action that will result from it.

The HSE guidance on stress clearly states that bullying can precipitate stress and that preventative action must include measures to eradicate bullying where it exists.

Training on the issue of bullying could be requested under section 2(2)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work Act. Bullying could be pursued as a health and safety issue at safety committees; and safety policies could be reassessed under section 2(3) of the HSWA to incorporate a section on bullying and how to address it.

Violence

The HSWA contains no direct reference to workplace violence, but all the general obligations imposed on employers under this legislation are still applicable to the control of this risk. According to the Act, employers must provide:

 Safe systems of work
 Safe workplaces
 A safe working environment
 Information, instruction and training for staff

The HSE regulations state that employer have a duty to provide a suitable and sufficient assessment of any risks to the health and safety of their employees, and according to the HSE this includes violence if there is a significant risk.

Under the HSE’s Management Regulations employers must, in consultation with safety representatives, formulate procedures to be followed in the event of serious or imminent danger at work. These procedures should incorporate plans to address serious or imminent danger caused by violence at work.

If safety reps’ are concerned then they should raise the problem with management and negotiate a suitable agreement dealing with the issue. If management fail to recognise that a problem exists, then reps could distribute a short questionnaire, discuss the issue with constituents who may be affected, keep raising the issue at meetings and request constituents to record and report any incidents.

Remember that RIDDOR (Reporting of Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1995) require employers to report physical injuries due to assaults arising from, or related to, work to the HSE.

Checklist of basic requirements

The HSE list the following basic requirements in respect of workplace health and safety:

 Toilets - provide sufficient toilets for employees and keep them clean and in good order
 Washing - provide hot and cold (or warm) running water, soap and towels or other means of drying
 Drinking water - provide a supply of wholesome drinking water
 Temperature - the room temperature should be at least 16 degrees Celsius where people work sitting down
 Cleanliness - Maintain the workplace in a clean state
 Lighting - Make there is adequate light (preferably natural light) to avoid problems of visual fatigue
 Space - provide a minimum of 11 cubic metres for each person permanently occupying a workplace
 Ventilation - in most offices being able to open the windows will suffice