Common Health And Safety Oversights In Small Business Offices

Providing a safe and healthy work space isn’t always a top priority. When you’re working in an office, for example, it doesn’t seem like there are too many health and safety risks to be aware of! And anything that might be is just common sense, right? 

But you need to conduct a proper risk assessment, no matter what kind of environment you work in or who’s on your team.

If you don’t, you might miss one of the issues below – and they’re already common enough oversights! 

Bad Lighting

When the office isn’t lit properly, eye strain will become a very common complaint. And while you may think it’s easy enough to just turn the lights on and go, it’s easier than you’d think to work with bad lighting without realizing.  

Flickering lights may not be visible to everyone, and too much screen glare from the sun only tends to affect those sitting closest to the windows. 

Plus, if employees have to sit closer to their screens in order to see something, not only can it harm their eyes, but it could cause back problems too. After all, sitting too close to the screen can cause posture issues that lead to lower lumbar problems. 

Lack of First Aid Training and Equipment

There’s always a chance for a medical emergency to occur when you’re in the office. 

And we’re not just talking about someone needing to bandage a papercut or burn their hand on a break room appliance. Serious emergencies, such as a heart attack or someone passing out, can also happen at any point. 

If your office isn’t set up with the right equipment to deal with these emergencies – nor any of your staff trained in providing first aid in these circumstances – you could be putting your staff and visitors in danger. 

Safety training isn’t just for construction worksites and warehouse facilities. It’s also for the day to day offices where people mostly operate at desks. 

As such, look into AED rental for your business, as well as training in AED usage and first aid techniques, and regular services to make sure your first aid equipment is in good condition. 

Cable Management

It’s not just a matter of popping extension cords into cable tidies and then shoving them away under the desk. 

You need to make sure cables are not littering any traffic zones around the office, such as that one cable that stretches from the socket to the water machine on the opposite wall! 

Employees shouldn’t have to be hypervigilant about where they’re walking. And even if they are, cables can be easily moved. Someone may have knocked one with their foot earlier on, and now there’s a genuine trip hazard right in the middle of the office floor. 

If you’re a small business owner, make sure your office is as safe a place as it could be. Check the lighting, move the cables out of the way, and always train your team in first aid.