Make Your Office a Safe Place to Work With Office Safety Training
By Harry Worthington | Submitted On May 12, 2010
The safety of the workers in any office is one of the main responsibilities of the management. One of the best methods in ensuring safety in work places is by conducting a regular office safety training seminar.
The safety seminar would not be expensive, as in most cases they can be conducted free by the public and local authorities. The police department, as part of their public services, often conduct safety training and tips regularly. This is also part of the public safety awareness campaigns of the local fire station brigades. In large corporate offices, the Human Resources department would normally maintain an Occupational Safety Officer that usually conducts the training.
The safety seminars include actions to be taken when an incident occurs. In this part of the training, the trainer would normally emphasize the importance of proper first aid training. Employees are educated on the types of temporary medical assistance needed to help a victim, including the cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). CPR is the most common lifesaving technique that involves chest compression and mouth to mouth rescue breathing. The placement of emergency equipment to combat a situation, are also given importance in the lectures, and so does the use of the first aid kits.
Offices situated in high rise buildings are given fire drill training in order that they will be able to react quickly when a fire is noticed or when the fire alarm rings. Local government regulation and building codes also include provisions for fire drills. Workers in earthquake prone countries are also given a special earthquake and evacuation drill. Massive emergency and evacuation drills cannot succeed if the workers are not given safety training in small numbers.
One of the important elements of the safety seminar is the identification of the office hazards. Risk Managers and Safety Officers agree that when the hazards are eliminated, the office will be a safer working area.
Mechanical hazards include over filled filing cabinets that can tip over when not properly bolted to the floor. Overheating electrical equipment, such as photocopying machines and electric kettles, are also part of the hazard that requires to be rectified. The physical sources of danger include chairs that do not support, adequately, the backs of the workers, and improper glare control from the windows and computer video display units. Toxic vapors in the atmosphere are part of the chemical hazards in the office. These are mainly from the fumes caused by printers and copiers. Smoking in the office was then part of this danger, but local by-laws have eliminated it. Common electrical hazards in the office are caused by loose wires and the overloading of power chords. Air-conditioning units that are not regularly serviced are also included.
An office danger that is often neglected is the psychological hazard. Employees who work very long hours or are consistently pressured to do monotonous or repetitive work are prone to accidents. These hazards can be properly addressed during safety trainings.
The Occupational Health and Safety Acts of different countries have established the duties of the employers in relation to the health, safety, and welfare of the employees. By regularly conducting office safety training, the environment in the office will be less dangerous and the workers will be more productive.
Are you looking for Office Safety Training to improve the knowledge of you employees? Worksafe UK is a company that has a wide selection of health and safety training that can help you. For more information please visit the website at http://www.worksafe.uk.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Harry_Worthington/586277
