TITLE:	ES&H Manual
DOCUMENT ID:	6105 Office Safety

1.0 Introduction

Although offices generally have lower risks of on-the-job injuries and illness than do production or construction environments, they do have occupational safety and health hazards. Slips, trips, and falls onto the same elevation account for about 15 percent of all occupational injuries.

Many of the chapters in the Environmental, Safety, and Health (ES&H) Manual have some (even if only limited) application to office environments. This chapter is a compilation of these topics to meet the typical needs of an office worker. Some topical chapters are specifically referenced when more detailed information may be needed.

This chapter is very “portable.” If you are a Jefferson Lab staff member working off site, this information will help to ensure your safety wherever you have an office-type work environment.

2.0 Hazard Avoidance

Most office hazards are easily controlled by using ordinary “safety sense.”

· Avoid creating or falling victim to slip, trip, and fall hazards. If they occur, act quickly to remedy them and use appropriate measures to warn others in the vicinity.

· Never use a chair or other makeshift device as a ladder.

· Use appliances and equipment in the intended manner. Follow manufacturers’ and product label recommendations for use and service.

· Don’t introduce “exotic” hazards (such as, spray paints) into office environments. Use office space for office purposes only. Store and use non-office chemicals and equipment in the places designated for them.

· Avoid storing large quantities of combustible materials. Even paper and cardboard stored in the open can create a fire hazard.

· Never alter or impair the operation of fire-protection systems. Don’t obstruct fire sprinkler heads or smoke detectors. Don’t restrict exits, passageways, or stairs. Keep stairwells absolutely free of clutter and combustibles.

· Know your lifting limitations, and always use good lifting technique.

· Don’t overload shelves, and never walk away from an open file cabinet drawer. Pulling more than one drawer out simultaneously may cause the cabinet to tip.

Use your area safety warden and your ESH&Q staff as an information resource. If you’re in doubt about a situation, ask questions.

An office environment is an area in which business, clerical, or administrative tasks are exclusively performed. For an environment that serves multiple purposes, such as an office space with a soldering area or an area that is in close proximity to wet surfaces or sinks, the possible hazards associated with the area should be compared to those risks found in an entirely industrial area, such as a tech shop.

3.0 Responsibilities

Individual

• Be a careful observer of your office environment. Correct problems yourself if you can. If you do not have the ability or resources to fix a problem, bring it to the attention of your supervisor, area safety warden, or ESH&Q staff.

Supervisors

• Ensure there is an effective system of inspecting office areas regularly.
• Submit work requests and procurement actions as necessary to get office safety problems corrected. Use risk codes when reporting problems. (Refer to ES&H Manual Chapter 3210 Appendix T3 Risk Code Assignment for risk-assessment methods.)

ESH&Q Staff

• Work with staff, supervisors, and safety wardens to ensure that common office hazards are well understood and are part of routine workplace inspection activities.

4.0 General Practices for Office Safety

Slip, Trip, and Fall Hazards

Slips, trips, and falls are the most common cause of injury. Obstacles in the walkway, defects in the carpet, and irregular or wet floor surfaces are the main causes. Correct these problems or report them to someone who can correct them properly.

· Wet floors and serious trip hazards need interim warning devices such as cones or signs.

· Rearrange furniture temporarily to direct traffic away from a problem area if necessary.

· Electrical cords and other cables should be kept out of the walkway or protected by cable molding.

· Stairwells must be kept clear of clutter. The stair treads and handrails of the stairs should be kept in good repair.

· Corridors and other egress routes must be kept free of combustibles and obstructions. See ES&H Manual Chapter 6920 Safe Egress, for more information.

· Choose your footwear to suit your work environment. Soles should have sufficient traction for the floor surfaces encountered throughout the workday. Decorative features on shoes can become entangled and cause a fall. Cut off excess length from laces.

Laceration or Puncture Hazards

• Cuts are an obvious hazard when handling scissors, knives, paper cutters, or even just paper. There are less obvious laceration hazards from sheet-metal parts such as edges within file cabinets or along metal shelving. Be careful as you are removing drawers or otherwise grasping rarely exposed surfaces.
• Plastic laminates on furniture can detach or break, exposing sharp points or edges. If you are aware of a sharp edge, try to pad it or place fiber-reinforced tape over it as an interim measure. Submit a work request for repair.
• If you use utility knives, choose one with a retractable blade. The best choice is a knife with an automatic-retraction feature for the blade.
• Guillotine-type paper trimmers are particularly hazardous. Keep the cutter arm locked when not in use, and ensure the tension device will hold the arm securely in the up position. Keep your fingers well clear of the blade path when using the trimmer.

Figure 1-Tension washer/nut adjustment	Figure 2-Tension spring adjustment (underside of cutter)

File Cabinets, Storage Shelves, and Bookcases

• Just as warehouse loads can topple over, so too can unsecured office shelving. Proper placement of bookcases and cabinets is important. The base of a freestanding cabinet or shelf should be level and supported across its full width and depth.
• Storage on the top of a cabinet or shelf unit should be stable and limited in height to a single object that does not extend beyond the shelf or surface below. Keep storage at least 18 inches away from ceilings and fire sprinkler heads.
• Think carefully about your needs for shelving before you order it. If you are storing heavy books across the full width of the shelf, a conventional particleboard shelf will likely sag in time, even to the extent of collapsing. Consider metal or plywood shelving instead.
• Never leave a file drawer open and unattended. This is known to cause trips, falls, collisions, and serious lacerations. Instead of leaving the drawer open, use a location marker to aid in replacing the item you remove; keep a supply of these markers near the file cabinets. File cabinets with more than one drawer opened simultaneously may tip.

Climbing, Reaching and Lifting Hazards

• Chairs are entirely unsuitable as ladders or step stools. You can be permanently disabled or killed by a fall from a chair. Boxes or other makeshift arrangements are equally dangerous.
• Use the right tool for the job; get a ladder or stool. Most Jefferson Lab buildings have one or more of each. Find out where it is located, and ask to borrow it when needed.
• If you often need to climb to reach things, requisition your own suitable short ladder or stool. (See ES&H Manual Chapter 6132 Ladders and Scaffolds, for more information on selection and use.)
• Strains and other muscular/skeletal injuries are also an office risk. Poor lifting habits are a typical problem. So is over-extending your arms and back attempting to grab or pull something just out of reach. Remember to use good lifting technique:

Good Lifting Technique:

1. Check the object to make sure you can lift it (seek assistance if necessary).

2. Face the object and get as close to it as you can.

3. Get balanced, and place one foot slightly in front of the other.

4. Squat down, bending your knees.

5. KEEP YOUR BACK STRAIGHT AND AS NEARLY VERTICAL AS POSSIBLE!

6. Grip the object firmly.

7. Keep your back straight and stand up in a smooth motion.

8. Keep the object as close to your body as possible.

9. Never carry a load that blocks your vision.

Good Lowering Technique:

1. Reverse the above procedure when you lower the object.

2. Never twist your body while you are holding heavy objects.

3. Never lift heavy objects over your head.

4. Push heavy objects along the floor rather than pulling – though not with your foot as this creates lower back strain.

Take care of your back:

· Use good sitting and standing posture. Adjust your chair to maintain your back's normal curve.

· Exercise to help strengthen the stomach and back muscles. Daily exercise and stretching can prevent muscle injury.

· Remember that weight on your waistline adds extra stress to your back.

Office Equipment and Electrical Hazards

Office equipment is capable of causing lacerations, burns, and electrical shock if not used, maintained and serviced correctly.

· Follow manufacturers' guidelines for the use and routine service of equipment. This may include turning the power off or unplugging it to clear jams.

· Be alert to “Household Use Only” precautions on appliances. These do not belong in an office unless their use is comparable to home use.

· Keep the owner's manual for appliances and equipment. Have a special file or binder for this information, and let co-workers know where it is kept.

· Most electrical appliances have a barrier that protects you from hazardous electrical components. Never remove it unless you are specifically trained to do so.

· Keep appliances away from water. Avoid hanging houseplants above electrical appliances.

· Inspect your equipment’s cords and plugs periodically. Look for damaged cord jackets, loose or broken plug blades, evidence of overheating, and separation of the plug from the cord. At the appliance end, make sure the device that secures the cord is intact at the cabinet and is preventing chafing. A conductor within a cord can partially break if the cord is flexed excessively. This is hard to detect, but it can cause heating inside the cord.

Fire Hazards

• Good housekeeping is essential for the prevention of fires in an office. Ignition sources need fuel to cause a fire. Keep ignitable materials such as paper away from heat-producing appliances. Do not turn kitchenette areas into file rooms unless you are willing to remove heat-producing appliances or have them disconnected by Facilities Management.
• Know where the nearest fire extinguisher is. If you think you may ever need to use it, take Jefferson Lab Fire Safety Training (SAF 108). See ES&H Manual Chapter 6940 Portable Fire Extinguishers, for more information.
• Don’t overload electrical outlets. Extension cords should only be used as a temporary measure while you await additional receptacles.
• Extension cords should be at least one gauge heavier (which means one even number lower) than the appliance cord, and they must be hard service—SO or SJ—type. Cords have their gauge and classification embossed into the outer jacket.
• Never use lamp (“zip”) cord for an extension cord.
• Never place cords beneath carpet. This can cause overheating of the wire insulation and cord damage that cannot be seen until it starts a fire.
• Power strips are acceptable for simultaneous use of several low-current devices such as computers and their peripherals. The strips must have built-in over-current and voltage surge protection.
• Observe Jefferson Lab’s no-smoking policy in your workplace. Do not use any open flame without discussing it first with your ESH&Q staff.
• Use safe practices in cooking areas. Don't use stove tops for storage. Make sure burners and ranges are turned off when not in use. Clean up spills promptly. Keep ignitable materials in cabinets.
• Electrical cabinets, circuit-breaker panels, and similar equipment must have a 3-foot clearance. This allows quick access in an emergency and provides ample working clearance for technicians. This is a fire-code requirement. Avoid positioning furniture or office equipment within the 3-foot zone.

Space Heaters

Space heaters cause burns and fires. If your work area is too cold, first request Facilities Management to check the heating system for proper operation. If the system cannot provide sufficient heat, and you must use a space heater, follow these guidelines:

· Have the heater checked first for proper operation: functioning thermostat, safety tip-over switch, proper grounding or double insulation, and a suitable guard for heating elements. Your ESH&Q staff can do this or refer you to someone who can. If you observe arcing or unusual odors from the heater, unplug it and ask to have it rechecked.

· Keep ignitable materials at least five feet away from the front of the heater at all times.

· Never leave a heater on and unattended.

· A single electrical circuit cannot carry two major appliance loads simultaneously: two space heaters, or one heater and a coffee pot, for example. In fact, there may already be too many loads on a given circuit to serve even one heater. Unplanned circuit breaker trips cause havoc with computers!

Many times, a space heater is overkill. Consider using an electric floor mat beneath your feet. It may provide all the heat you need, and it uses far less current.

Safe Egress

Find the nearest evacuation diagram for your building, and locate designated primary and secondary exits. Also know the location of your staging or “muster” area once you leave the building for fire drills or other emergencies.

Office employees and long-term visitors must be informed of their building's emergency evacuation plan. (See ES&H Manual Chapter 6920 Safe Egress for information on ensuring safe emergency building evacuations and conducting fire drills.)

Chemical Hazards

Some office chemicals have hazardous ingredients. To minimize the risk of health effects or other problems: Limit the quantities on hand to those actually needed, and use the product in the manner for which it was intended.

· If you have a hazardous material in the workplace—including the office—you must have its material safety data sheet (MSDS) on hand. If you order or purchase a hazardous chemical, it is your responsibility to ensure the MSDS is available. Also, ensure that the label remains intact and legible on chemical containers.

· MSDSs are online at http://msdsweb.jlab.org/msds or contact the MSDS Coordinator. For more information, see ES&H Manual Chapter 3220 Communication of Hazards to Employees and Users, and ES&H Manual Chapter 6610 Chemical Hygiene.

· If you use an office chemical, read the information on the label and on the MSDS. There may be some surprising information there. If you are uncertain how to interpret the MSDS, or if you want more information about a product, ask your supervisor or ESH&Q staff.

· Most paints, adhesives, reprographic chemicals (e.g. liquid and dry toner), and similar products cannot be disposed of in regular office trash. Nor can they be poured down the drain. If you need to discard office chemicals, consult your ESH&Q staff for proper disposal options.

· Excessive concentrations of airborne chemicals from some duplicating and printing equipment can pose a health hazard. Make sure copiers and other reprographic equipment are in well-ventilated areas. Follow directions on filling toner reservoirs and handling toner cartridges. (These should be recycled when empty, by the way.)

Ergonomic Hazards

A poorly designed workstation or work environment can cause health problems. It also impairs concentration and productivity. ES&H Manual Chapter 6105 Appendix T1 Guidelines for Office Ergonomics provides information for evaluating and configuring office environments to best match the people who work in them.

No matter how comfortable your workstation, sitting in essentially the same position for long periods of time can be tiring and stressful. So can prolonged periods of reading or viewing a computer screen. Eyestrain usually results in headaches and fatigue, as well as loss of concentration. Take stretch breaks, use eye-relaxation exercises, and make a point of diversifying work activities. As a general rule, variety in physical motion reduces the likelihood of stress or repetitive motion injury. Ask your ESH&Q staff to help you evaluate your work environment.

ISSUING AUTHORITY	CHAPTER AUTHOR	APPROVAL DATE	EFFECTIVE DATE	EXPIRATION DATE	REV.
ESH&Q Division	Jennifer Williams	02/06/2006	2/06/2006	02/06/09	0

This document is controlled as an on line file. It may be printed but the print copy is not a controlled document. It is the user’s responsibility to ensure that the document is the same revision as the current on line file. This copy was printed on 10/12/2009.