However, Midrand offices may present their own potential health and safety hazards, some of which people may not be aware. Effective health and safety management starts with a risk assessment.
These can be conducted by, or on behalf of, employers to recognise, minimise and potentially eliminate hazards from becoming risks leading to incidents and accidents.
What are workplace hazards and risks?
Simply put, workplace hazards can be any aspect of work that may lead to health and safety risks, or anything that has the potential to cause harm.
A workplace hazard, however, is the chance or likeliness that such an incident will occur. Some hazards are more likely to occur than others, depending on the work being done and the equipment being used.
Hazards are present in every workplace regardless of the industry, size or nature of business of the organisation.
What workplace hazards and risks are there in offices?
Slips, trips, falls
All three of these form a part of the most common hazards present in most workplaces, not only offices. They contribute to more than 30% of injuries that occur within the workplace, according to statistics.
These may result from several things, such as obstructed walkways, loose flooring, cluttered areas, and so forth. To identify slips, trips and falls, employees can make use of a comprehensive checklist. It is a terrific tool that can assist employers and employees in recognising these hazards, where they are most likely to occur and how to effectively minimise and eliminate them.
Where cables are exposed, they must be securely taped and covered. Should cables cross walkways, they must be clearly demarked. All workspaces and walkways must be kept clear, clean and tidy, with all obstructions removed. Slips can easily be addressed by employing measures such as carpeting, warning signs and numerous others.
Where spills occur, they must be cleaned immediately and the necessary signage put in place to indicate wet floors or surfaces.
Ergonomic injuries
A general misconception has many thinking that office work is less straining than manual labour. However, office work involves employees remaining seated for extended periods of time, which may carry the same potential for serious injuries as other occupations.
When employees do not sit correctly or they fail to adjust their chairs and/or equipment such as monitors correctly, it could lead to numerous strains and other injuries that may be detrimental to the employee in the long term.
Work stress
This refers to a mental element either disregarded or not taken seriously enough. It is the result of employees working under consistent amounts of pressure that they may not always be able to cope with.
This must be addressed by employers and can be mitigated by ensuring that workloads match the rate of work and skills of employees, and that employees are afforded adequate time to rest through ensuring that work hours comply with legal requirements.
Employers must also provide employees with a safe platform where they can report any related issues, where these can be discussed and resolved.
Eye strain
Many office employees spend a substantial portion of their day exposed to display screen equipment (DSE) such as laptops and conventional desktop computer monitors. This can result in severe eye strain or similar issues if not addressed and managed.
Employees who wear glasses must ensure that it accommodates such extended periods of exposure, with most glasses being fitted with anti-glare and/or blue-light reduction.
Employees must also take frequent breaks, ensure that chairs are positioned correctly and at the correct height, that the screen is the correct distance away from the employees’ eyes and at the right height, and numerous other prevention measures that can be applied.
Fire hazards
This is a hazard present in most, if not all, work environments. Office health and safety can be improved and maintained by ensuring that all employees have adequate training and that effective precautions are in place.
Power cords must be in a good working condition, power outlets must not be overloaded, electrical heaters must be monitored closely and frequent inspections must be carried out on electrical equipment by a qualified professional.
How can potential health and safety hazards in offices be monitored and managed?
The organisation must have an effective and adequate OHS programme in place, which must be audited frequently for effectiveness and relevancy. There must be frequent walkabouts and inspections to ensure that safety protocols are in place.
How does SafetyWallet support its subscribers?
By subscribing to SafetyWallet, members are provided with the support and assistance that they need in efficiently managing their office health and safety.
This is done through a comprehensive OHS programme implemented, the provision of a variety of training platforms, and the conducting of health and safety audits to ensure continuous compliance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, and all other relevant regulations, laws and by-laws. 
