Workplace Risk Assessment
Risk Assessment for Office Activities
Marie Gabutin Perez
22 July 2010
1. INTRODUCTION
The office working environment may seem a fairly commonplace and safe location compared to the factory or assembly line environment but there are still risks present in the office environment which could lead to injuries or serious accidents. There are obvious risks such as fires which can happen anywhere but also specific office based issues such as moving furniture or slipping on wet floors.
Some offices may have tiled or lino flooring in kitchen areas or near entrances which when wet can be quite slippery. If it is raining outside then as people enter the building and walk on the floor they will bring in a lot of rainwater which could make the entrance to the office incredibly hazardous if it won’t mop it up. Likewise if any spilled liquids in the kitchen area then people could slip and fall there too, therefore it's important that either mop up the spill or clearly mark out the area with a sign or note and inform a cleaner or the management about the hazard.
Some of the areas of the work environment that require special attention include chemical hazards, workstation design, equipment, task design, and chemical or environmental hazards, if applicable. Other than these, there are also hazards associated with the physical environment which may include the space in general, ventilation, temperature, light, and other such factors. Apart from that, there are also psychological factors associated with personal interactions, job control, performance, and the work place.
The electrical equipment that is operational in the working environment also poses some threat and hazard to the people handling the equipment. There are chances of electric shock and burn injuries, electrical shorts and fire, or even electrocution. In order to prevent electrical accidents from occurring, it is essential for the equipment to be inspected on regular basis, and moreover, any equipment that is
Marie Gabutin Perez
22 July 2010
1. INTRODUCTION
The office working environment may seem a fairly commonplace and safe location compared to the factory or assembly line environment but there are still risks present in the office environment which could lead to injuries or serious accidents. There are obvious risks such as fires which can happen anywhere but also specific office based issues such as moving furniture or slipping on wet floors.
Some offices may have tiled or lino flooring in kitchen areas or near entrances which when wet can be quite slippery. If it is raining outside then as people enter the building and walk on the floor they will bring in a lot of rainwater which could make the entrance to the office incredibly hazardous if it won’t mop it up. Likewise if any spilled liquids in the kitchen area then people could slip and fall there too, therefore it's important that either mop up the spill or clearly mark out the area with a sign or note and inform a cleaner or the management about the hazard.
Some of the areas of the work environment that require special attention include chemical hazards, workstation design, equipment, task design, and chemical or environmental hazards, if applicable. Other than these, there are also hazards associated with the physical environment which may include the space in general, ventilation, temperature, light, and other such factors. Apart from that, there are also psychological factors associated with personal interactions, job control, performance, and the work place.
The electrical equipment that is operational in the working environment also poses some threat and hazard to the people handling the equipment. There are chances of electric shock and burn injuries, electrical shorts and fire, or even electrocution. In order to prevent electrical accidents from occurring, it is essential for the equipment to be inspected on regular basis, and moreover, any equipment that is