Offices

Common hazards

Most businesses and industries have an office environment. The most obvious safety issue is ergonomics and sitting at a desk correctly, but there are other hazards that need to be managed, including hazardous chemicals, manual tasks and electrical hazards, and psychosocial hazards such as aggressive clients.

If working from home, safety issues can include household distractions and remaining sedentary for excessive periods.

PCBU responsibilities

If you’re a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU), you must manage the risks associated with office work. This includes by providing:

a safe work environment
safe systems of work
equipment and substances in a safe condition
the information, instruction, training and supervision that your workers need to work safely
a working from home risk assessment.

Identify hazards in your office by:

consulting with managers and workers about the work that they do and the equipment and chemicals they use
reviewing workplace incident data and human resource data.

Worker responsibilities

Workers must take reasonable care for their own safety and health, and make sure they don’t adversely affect the health or safety of others.

If you’re a worker, you must:

follow any reasonable directions given by your employer/manager to reduce that will reduce your risk of injury. This includes policies and safe work procedures
ensure your own safety and that of your workmates
report any office hazards, incidents and near misses to your employer/manager.