Unit 6

Although some may think an office is a safe work environment, it is important to make sure all risks are took into precaution and how to avoid hurting yourself.

Sharp Object/Glass - This can cause cuts or punctures to the skin, body or eyes. Make sure sharp objects are not sticking out anywhere or can cause harm. If you break glass or smash something make sure to clean it up and notify somebody about it.

Slipping - if a liquid substance has been spilled or dropped it can be dangerous if not cleaned up. Somebody could slip and hurt themselves. Therefore it is vital to make sure you clean it up and let somebody know you spilt something.

Trip Hazards - If there is a loose wire or flooring board people could trip up and hurt themselves. To avoid injury all wires should be tucked in and out of the way. Also make sure there are no other tripping hazards to avoid people hurting themselves, such as bags.

Faulty Equipment - If equipment is faulty, such as the chairs or the computers. Somebody could hurt themselves by either falling of the chairs or hurting themselves on the computer.

It is your job to make sure you look after yourself. As an employee you should know exactly what to do to keep yourself safe. This means that precautions must be took. For example, if there is a fire alarm you should know exactly where to go and what to do.

A lot of people bring their own drinks to work. When working around computers it is vital to make sure that people keep their drinks away from computers as they could spill. This would not only damaged the equipment but could cause harm to anyone close. If there is an open socket for example the liquid could leak in.

Risk assessments should be in place, this helps people identify hazards before they happen. If everybody knows the risk then everybody can avoid it. A risk assessment is just a list of hazard and risks and how to handle them if they occur.

If there is an accident, it should be immediately reported to a key member of staff, such as your boss. Once notified they can make sure it is still safe for other people. Often, people would have a book where all the accidents would be reported too.