Working in the office - ergonomics and health and safety

The office, like any other workplace, is not without risks, so it cannot be considered a completely safe environment. Requires adequate preparation in terms of health and safety rules, as well as the comfort and health of workers. This is subject not only to each workstation, but also to the common environment.

Ergonomics and principles of computer work

Office work puts a lot of strain on the body, but it manifests itself in a slightly different way than physical work. First of all, the sitting position forces the body to adopt a proper posture, otherwise the spine will be strained, resulting in pain and discomfort. Working at a computer is also a risk of damage to the eyes, so it is required to maintain an appropriate distance from the monitor, as well as to purchase equipment that is less harmful to the eyes.

• The computer monitor must meet the requirements of the decree of the Minister of Labor and Social Policy of 1.12.1998. on health and safety at work at stations equipped with screen monitors. This applies to m.in. adjusting the brightness and contrast of the image, adjusting the position of the monitor in terms of its tilt and rotation around its axis.
• All other computer components should be on a table that easily adapts to computer hardware and accessories.
• The chair at the workstation must be stable, allow you to take the right position, so have a contoured backrest and armrests. The seat height should be adjustable within 400-500 mm, and the backrest tilt should be adjustable within 5° forward and 30° backward.
• In addition, the regulation includes information on office lighting - the level of intensity must meet the Polish Standards, glare must be reduced as much as possible, as well as the reflection of light from surfaces.

Marking the office with informational signs

For better organization of the office and easier navigation of the following rooms, they should be clearly labeled. This usually uses blue placards with white lettering. Examples include signs: Office, Accounting, Men's WC, Dining Room, Women's checkroom, Archive i Manager. In addition, in some rooms it will be useful to have instructions for performing specific activities, in the case of the toilet it will be Health and safety instruction of hand washing and disinfection technique. In the kitchen (or social room) can be useful Safety instructions for operating a microwave oven.

Marking the various rooms in the office primarily helps new employees find their way in an environment that is unfamiliar to them. In addition, thanks to this, there is a greater chance of reducing the risk of an unauthorized person entering a particular room.

Office as a place of public use, or evacuation signage

Every public-use building must have an escape route with proper signage. It's what allows you to get out of the middle efficiently in the face of danger. The signs used for this purpose should meet the EN ISO 7010 standard. It is she who determines exactly their appearance and colors.

Signs used in the building are always adapted to the conditions in the building. It will not be necessary in every case to use the sign Push from the left side to open, Swipe left to open whether Direction to the emergency exit down the left-hand side. In all buildings, however, there appears a sign pointing directly to the emergency exit, such as. Emergency exit to the right and the way to go, such as. Right-side emergency exit.

Fire safety signs are also in place in public use buildings. Their task is to indicate the location of firefighting equipment, i.e Fire extinguisher, Security Phone and Fire alarm. In addition, the evacuation process in an emergency situation will improve the General fire safety instructions. Every public-use building must also have first-aid equipment, and the absolute basics are first aid kit. Also, how to quickly help the victim, employees will learn from the First aid instructions.

Use of hazardous machinery

In the office there are a lot of machines and electrical equipment, only the correct use of which ensures safe operation. To make it so, operating instructions are used with them, such as. Occupational health and safety instructions for operating a photocopier. You also need to take into account the fact that some equipment and machinery can pose a health risk to the worker. All hazardous items should be properly marked, such as with a sign Warning against automatic startup or Hand crush warning. It's a good idea to make the following available to employees in the office as well General instructions for occupational safety and health.

Only a properly prepared office is friendly and safe for employees. It is therefore necessary to ensure their comfort, but also their safety throughout their presence in the building.