When I think of slip and fall accidents, I generally think of oily manufacturing areas, large areas that are washed down frequently like food processing facilities and cluttered construction sites; rarely do I think of small office environments.

While reading the article “Simple Solutions for Office Hazards” on www.ehstoday.com, I came up with a list of ideas to keep office workers safe.  Some of these are found in the article, and some just seem like common sense.

Control cables:

• You can easily and cheaply find a cable organizer so cables do not become entangled.  By keeping cables tucked neatly behind desks or along walls, this decreases the chance that someone may get their toes caught in the mess and fall.

Keep equipment stored away:

• Modems, computer towers, power strips, space heaters, etc can become tripping hazards if left out.  Make sure that small electronics have a place to be neatly stored that is not within foot traffic.

Wire protectors:

• If cables and wires must be run across high traffic areas, use a device that fits nicely over top of them.  Plastic runners can conceal yet warn walkers of the trip and fall hazard.

Mats:

• Use mats in any area of the office that has tile or other smooth surfaces.  You may not think that a slip and fall will happen when the floor is not being mopped, but someone could slip on a few drops of water that were spilled at the water cooler.

Signs:

• Even if you work in a small office and it is very apparent when the floors are being cleaned, using a Caution sign is always a good idea.
• Keeping clutter down:
  • Having enough storage areas for office supplies such as boxes of cups, paper towel and reams of paper is important to keeping main walkways clear and trip free.

This is only a small list of simple things that can be done to keep workers within an office environment safe from slips, trips and falls.

Smith, Sandy. “Simple Solutions for Office Hazards” EHS Today March 2008

Filed under: Workplace Safety by Beth Faraci