Housekeeping and Accident prevention
Most accidents in our offices are preventable and are often due to bad housekeeping. It is important that everyone is aware of the likely hazards and encouraged to be more tidy and thoughtful by:

·         removing all keys from drawers;

·         reporting any trailing cables and having them tidied up;

·         reporting any worn or torn floor covering;

·         ensuring that any spillages are reported and cleaned up;

·         leaving all walkways, corridors and doorways clear of obstructions;

·         avoiding leaving boxes, case bags etc. piled up around desks;

·         ensuring that any waste paper, boxes etc are disposed of swiftly;

·         using steps, never chairs, to reach high areas and avoiding lifting heavy objects without help or guidance; and

·         taking care at catering points to prevent scald or spillages.

Humidity levels
Humidity levels are usually measured as a percentage of the moisture content in the air together with the air temperature. Humidity has relatively little effect on thermal comfort at ordinary room temperatures, but extreme are to be avoided. The regulations on minimum workstation requirements states that humidity should be maintained 'at levels which prevent discomfort and sore eyes'. However, no specific levels are prescribed by law although guidance on office environments suggests that a range of 30 to 70% is usually considered acceptable.  Introducing sources of moisture to areas can influence the balance of humidity and temperature. The Health and Safety Executive advise that potted plants are one possibility.

Lifting and carrying
You should not lift, carry or move any load likely to cause injury. If a load, which needs to be lifted urgently, is too heavy to lift you should seek assistance from colleagues.  Some health and safety regulations relate specifically to the lifting of loads. Information booklets and specialist advice may be obtained from the Health and Safety Adviser.

Lighting
The Workplace and Display Screen Regulations state that every workplace 'shall have suitable and sufficient lighting'.  Complaints about lighting levels are normally associated with the use of display screens.

Some general advice is to keep windows unobstructed as far as possible, though they can be shaded (e.g. with blinds) to reduce any glare. Flickering lights should be reported.

Posture
Most of us spend the majority of our working day at a desk so good posture and a comfortable sitting position are very important. Agency chairs are fully adjustable enabling you to easily change position and adjust the height and back support to suit your needs. However, it might be appropriate for individuals with certain substantial back conditions or medical needs to be provided with a non-standard (special) chair. If you fall into this category you should speak to your Manager. S/he will then contact the Health and Safety Adviser who will make an initial assessment of your workplace. Every effort will be made to meet your needs as quickly as possible.

Space Standards
The Workplace Regulations set a minimum standard per person as 11 cubic metres. Work space per person is calculated by dividing the total volume of the room, when empty, by the number of people working in it. Account should also be taken of the amount of furniture in the room. This standard may be insufficient if much space is required for racking or storage.

Temperature levels
The Workplace Regulations require temperatures in all workplaces inside buildings to be 'reasonable' and that a sufficient number of thermometers be provided so that staff can check the temperature inside a building. No maximum temperature level is prescribed by law. Guidance on temperature states that the levels in work areas should normally be at least 16 degrees Celsius. However, this may not ensure a reasonable comfort for staff who spend most of the day at a desk. The Agency aims to achieve temperature levels of between 19 and 21 degrees Celsius during winter and 20 to 22 degrees Celsius in summer as the comfort zone.

Where a reasonably comfortable temperature cannot be achieved local heating or cooling (as appropriate) should be provided.

Ventilation
The regulations require that 'effective and suitable' provision shall be made to ensure that every enclosed workplace is ventilated by a 'suitable quantity of fresh or purified air'. It is considered that individual control of natural ventilation i.e. windows and doors provides sufficient ventilation to meet the guidelines. Office layouts play an important part in allowing good ventilation and airflow to all areas of open plan offices.

Air fans (usually floor standing) may be made available where higher temperatures are causing some discomfort.

Workstation Assessments
Health and Safety legislation now places more emphasis on office layouts, job design and workplace practices to improve the quality of the indoor environment. Workstation/Risk Assessments are now a common feature of health and safety legislation.