Health and Safety Induction

Wodbury Library

Last updated: 21 November 2010

Agenda

• Roles and responsibilities• Key risks• Manual handling• Computer monitors• For more information

then …

Your responsibilities as employees

• We have a duty of care to all employees, contractors, and visitors and students with whom we do business

• We will ensure that our Health and Safety Officer carries out regular risk assessments of our workplace - and acts on them

• Point out and help to manage risks• Work in a safe manner• Never carry out a task you believe may be dangerous• Use any safety equipment we provide you with, and follow

the safety instructions• Know the Fire Warden and Health and Safety Officer• Know what to do in the event of a fire• Report accidents, even if they seem minor

Our responsibility as an employer

Key people and processes

Health and Safety Officer Michael M

Fire Warden Unfilled

First Aider Every staff member

• Risk assessments are carried out every ? months by <insert name>

Key places

Insert a floor plan showing fire exit(s) and designated sick room(s)

In the event of a fire

Warning sound (“get ready to evacuate”) sounds like [ ]

Evacuate sound (“leave the building now”) sounds like [ ]

Muster point (where we gather) is at [ ]

If you manage others, you must:

• Ensure safety policies are effectively implemented• Review our customer systems and procedures that we operate

within to ensure compliance and suitability• Understand regulations relevant to activities under your control• Carry out or participate in regular risk assessments • Ensure that the working environment is safe and safe working

methods are adopted• Ensure that staff have adequate skills and experience for the role

and have been suitably trained to perform their work safely• Ensure that staff have the correct equipment to do their job• Ensure that staff have been appropriately trained in health and

safety• Where needed, bring in occupational health support

Discussion - what are the key risks in our office environment?

Some of the main risks

• Carrying heavy items (“manual handling”)• Slips, trips and falls• Incorrect posture, use of computer monitors• <Add any more unique to our environment>

Also bear in mind …• Kitchen risks• Printer toner risks

Carrying heavy objects (“manual handling”)

• If you are required to carry something that is heavy or awkward, always assess other alternatives, for example using a trolley. If this is not possible, ask someone else to help you.

Only lift using the correct lifting technique

Manual handling (from the Health and & Safety Executive)

Manual handling

Manual handling

Manual handling

Slips, trips and falls

• The second highest cause of workplace accidents / near misses after manual handling.

What you should do:• keep the work area tidy• keep all exits and walk ways clear• report all potential hazards - loose carpets, trailing cables,

handbags, etc – to:– your manager – the Health and Safety Officer

PPE, COSHH, RIDDOR, electrical safety• PPE – Personal Protective Equipment – eg hard hats, safety goggles –

– This is generally not relevant to an office environment

• COSHH - Control of Substances Hazardous to Health – this mainly applies to industrial products – BUT – be aware that printer products can be hazardous if handled or disposed of inappropriately

– Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions

• RIDDOR – Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations

– Report all accidents or near misses to the Health and Safety Officer or your manager

• Electrical safety – do not attempt to carry out any work to electrical appliances, including simple tasks such as changing plugs. If you spot frayed cables or appliances that require attention - please contact <insert name>

• Poor posture sustained for long periods of time results in fatigue to affected muscle groups

• Fatigue can result from reduced blood circulation to muscles• Careful design and layout of your workstation should

encourage good posture• However, even maintaining a static good posture for extended

periods of time will eventually result in fatigue• You should take regular pauses or breaks in work where you

can get up and move around – make sure you take regular breaks

Workstation design and layout

Factors associated with good layout

Viewing Angles

• Ideally the centre of the screen should be at right angles to the normal line of sight (which is about 15o below the horizontal sightline)

• As a rule of thumb the top of the screen should be level with your eye

– If the screen is too high, the neck is bent backwards to afford a comfortable viewing angle

– If the screen is too low, the neck is bent forwards to afford a comfortable viewing angle

– Both result in postural strain on the neck

Good location of the screen

Your vision

•There is no evidence that Display Screen Equipment (DSE) work causes damage but it may make existing (uncorrected) vision defects more noticeable

•Work at DSE normally requires long periods of viewing the screen from close distances, which can lead rise to visual fatigue

•Viewing distances to DSE screens are usually further away than normal reading distances to books or hand held paper

•Viewing a screen through bifocals (using the bottom of the lens) will cause the head to be tilted backwards, giving postural fatigue

•Existing corrective prescriptions (glasses) may not be suitable for DSE work

Other risks

• If your office environment has any risks not covered in the presentation so far, identify them here and give employees instructions about how to reduce both the risk and the impact of it if it occurs

For more information

Our health and safety policies and procedures are stored at <insert location>