Office Safety Training

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Office Safety Training

• Environmental Health Safety/Risk Management
• 300 College Park
• Dayton, Ohio 45469-2905
• Phone [phone] Fax [phone]

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EHS/RM Mission

• To ensure the safety of, and reduce the risk to
  the University community by using preventative
  education, actively responding to needs, and
  thoroughly monitoring conditions that might
  interfere with health and well being. Primarily,
  we believe that safety and health must be
  foremost on the minds of all those who call on,
  or serve the University. Furthermore, we foresee
  a future for the University that upholds the
  tradition of a safe and secure environment, while
  ever striving to eliminate hazards, carelessness,
  and the accidents they cause.

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• Office Ergonomics

Ergonomics is about studying the human body at
work, and understanding how a persons senses,
size and skills interact with their working
environment. Its about finding the best way to
make the task fit the worker, not the worker fit
the task.
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• Eye Strain

• Lets take a look at our eyes to start with, the
  closer an object is to our eyes, the more the
  eyes turn inward toward the nose to prevent
  double vision. This creates strain on the eyes
  muscles.
• Excessive brightness, contrast and glare will
  contribute to eye strain, fatigue and even
  headaches.
• Place your workstation so you dont face bright
  background light from windows, or experience
  bright light behind you to cause glare on the
  screen.

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• Back Pain

• Your back is a complex system that provides the
  central means of support for everything you do.
• Back injuries are common, but their occurrence
  can be reduced by making workstation adjustments
  to reduce risks and maximize efficiency.

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Back Pain

• Staying in one position for too long, twisting or
  bending our spine can damage or wear the discs in
  our back, this in turn causes pressure to build
  up on the ligaments and nerves causing back pain.
  
• By using common sense and practicing good
  ergonomics, you can reduce the risk of back
  injury.

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Neck and Shoulder Pain

• Strained muscles and joints in the neck and
  shoulders are usually the result of tense or
  unnatural upper body posture.
• Typical situations encountered by staff include
  tilting the head to view the monitor, twisting
  the neck to read poorly positioned material,
  holding the phone between the head and shoulder
  while your hands do other things, using your
  hands too far from the body, and sitting in a
  chair with armrests set too high.

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Occupational Overuse Syndrome

• Pain or numbness in the hands, wrists, arms and
  shoulders can be caused by repeating certain
  movements many times over. This is referred to
  occupational overuse syndrome.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome is a disorder caused when
  the median nerve is compressed as it passes
  through the carpel tunnel from the wrist into the
  hand.

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Lets get started

• For most workers, a large portion of time is
  spent working at individual workstations, so it
  stands to reason that getting your workstation
  correctly adjusted to suit you, the individual,
  is extremely important.
• Good posture is critical in reducing many health
  and safety risks, including back, neck, and
  shoulder pain, occupation overuse syndrome,
  headaches, and fatigue.Lets start with the
  correct adjustment to your chair.

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Adjusting Your Chair

• The height of your seat should be adjusted so
  your thighs and lower legs are resting at a 90
  degree angle.
• The back of your chair should be slightly tilted
  back, or straight at 90 degrees.
• The lumbar region requires good support to
  prevent a slumped posture.

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Adjusting Your Chair

• If your shoulders hunch, the chair arms are too
  high. You will slump if the chair arms are too
  low.
• Your posture looks balanced when your chair has
  been properly adjusted to your height.
• The ergonomic seating principals are not meant to
  restrict you. Realize you can vary your posture
  to be more comfortable when you do certain tasks.

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Adjusting the Keyboard and Mouse

• Your keyboard should be positioned directly in
  front of you, with the mouse on the same level
  right next to it.
• Keep your forearms parallel with the floor, or
  sloping down slightly towards the keyboard.
  Adjust your chair height until your forearms are
  positioned correctly. This may mean youll need
  a footrest to support your lower legs.

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Adjusting your Monitor

• Your monitor should be positioned at arms length
  with extended fingers from your face.
• Adjust the top of the screen is two or three
  finger-widths below eye level. Some people may
  find a monitor set even lower is comfortable.

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Mechanical Aids

• Document holders reduce awkward postures and
  movements by positioning documents in places
  easily viewable in relation to the monitor.
  Positioning the document at the same viewing
  distance as the monitor helps prevent eye strain.
• Footrests are commonly used when desk height is
  not adjustable, and chair height must be
  increased.

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Mechanical Aids

• Wrist rests help reduce hand, wrist and arm pain
  by keeping the wrist straight during pauses while
  typing, relieving the strain on tendons and
  nerves, and taking some weight off the shoulders.

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General Tips

• Re-designing the way you work provides another
  option to reduce health and safety risks, and
  promotes general increases in efficiency with
  minimal effort.
• Vary your tasks, at the same time, give your eyes
  a break by closing them briefly and then focusing
  on a distant object.
• Your muscles need varied movement and variety
  will make your day more interesting. Plan your
  workload to even out the very busy and slow
  periods. Take breaks from your tasks.

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Other Office Safety Tips
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Cord Management
DO NOT OVERLOAD SOCKETS!!
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Cord Management

• Cords can be a trip hazard and an electrical
  nightmare
• Cords should be secured and away from the feet,
  walk spaces, drawers, and sharp edges
• Its a good idea to carry out your own visual
  inspection of plugs and leads
• Shut down electrical equipment at the end of the
  workday.

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Office Machines

• If you notice a tingling sensation when touching
  a machine or see smoking or sparking, unplug it
  immediately and report it!
• Put a sign on the machine indicating to others
  that it is out of order

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Files

• Organize work at the desk first, not at the file
  cabinet
• Open one drawer at a time
• Place heavy file loads in the bottom levels
• Lighter loads in the top drawers
• Avoid storage on the top

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Lifting
Plan the lift. Stand with your feet apart,
alongside the object to be lifted. Use the sit
down position, maintaining the natural arch of
the spine. Tuck your chin. Get a good grip on the
object. Keep the object close. Center the weight
over your feet. Avoid twisting.
Avoid lifting objects that are too heavy for
you. Obtain assistance from a co-worker
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Stacking and Storage

• Light objects should be stored on the top, with
  heavy items stored at the bottom
• Boxes and other articles must be at least 18
  inches from the ceiling, and sprinkler heads
• Keep passages and fire safety equipment clear
• Get assistance for heavy items

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Office Security

• Dont tempt other people! Lock up purses and
  valuables
• Remember to lock doors when required
• Report suspicious activities

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Double Lock Policy

• Computer equipment should be secured by a double
  lock mechanism
• For example, an office laptop computer must be
  secured in a locked drawer, in a locked office.

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Slips, Trips and Falls

• The ___1____ cause of office employee injuries!
  

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Slips, trips and falls

• Where do falls occur? - everywhere!!
• Level surfaces
• Elevated surfaces - standing on chairs, falling
  out of chairs, falling down stairs
• Sidewalks
• Parking lots

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Slips, Trips and Falls

• Prevent them by remembering the following
• Do not allow cabling to create a tripping hazard
• Clean up spills quickly
• Do not block passageways
• Keep office areas clean
• Keep stacking and storage areas safe
• Walk in the center of the hallway

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WATCH OUT FOR UNSAFE CONDITIONS
REPORT THEM
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Stairs

• Keep one hand on the handrail
• Dont be in a hurry
• Take one step at a time
• Dont load your arms so full of materials that
  you cant see
• Dont congregate on stairs or landings

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Cleaning Up Broken Glass

• Pick up broken glass with a broom and dust pan
• Wrap the glass in thick paper and mark it so that
  the cleaning staff will know what it is
• Slivers of glass should be picked up with a damp
  paper towel - discard paper towel

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Alkaline Batteries

• It is important not to dispose of large amounts
  of alkaline batteries in a group in the trash.
• Used batteries are often not completely dead.
• Grouping used batteries can bring these live
  batteries in contact with one another, creating
  safety risks (FIRE).

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Disposal of Alkaline Batteries

• Batteries should be taped together with the same
  polarity pointing in the same direction or
  individually bagged in a ziplock bag.

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Candle Policy

• The University has a no candle or incense policy

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Unusual Chemical Odors

• Report odors immediately to EHS/RM at 229-4503
  (or Public Safety if an emergency)
• Indoor air quality concerns can be addressed by
  EHS/RM
• Please be courteous to others with regards to
  your perfume or cologne. Some experience
  allergic reactions to perfume or cologne.

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Safe Holiday Decorating

• Use only artificial trees or wreaths
• Flammable materials such as hay, straw, dry moss,
  corn stalks, dry leaves, etc. are prohibited
• Do not obstruct exits or exit signs
• Light sets should be for indoor use with a UL
  Label
• No more than three set of lights per extension
  cord
• Do not tie decorations to fire sprinklers, smoke
  detectors or other fire equipment
• Unplug decorative lights at night

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Work Place Violence

• Workplace violence is the third-leading cause of
  fatal occupational injury in the US
• Employees should
• Provide prompt an accurate reporting of all
  workplace violence incidents

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Parking Lot Safety

• Park in well-lit areas
• Always roll up windows and lock your car
• Always have your keys ready when approaching the
  car
• Watch for cars cutting diagonally across the lot
• Always check your backseat before getting into
  your car

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Emergency Procedures
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In the event of Emergencies

• Call Public Safety at
• ext. 92121 or
• 911

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Fire Procedures

• Know at least two evacuation routes- NEVER use
  the elevator
• Know the location of the Fire Extinguishers
• Avoid smoke-filled areas, if unavoidable- CRAWL
• Once outside, stay outside until you receive the
  all clear from Public Safety

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Tornado Procedures

• Seek shelter in an interior corridor away from
  windows
• Sit and cover head
• If possible, go to the basement level

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Everyones Responsibility

• Safety is every employees obligation. Be aware
  of your work environment and Stay Safe!

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Questions???

• If you have questions regarding the information
  in this presentation or on any other policies and
  procedures, please call us at 229-4503.
• Environmental Health Safety/Risk Management
• Robin Oldfield, Director
• Sharon Gavlick, Asst. Env. Safety Admin.
• Katherine Cleaver, EHS Specialist