Ergonomically Speaking

Computer User's Alert: Don't Neglect Office Safety

Janet Ford, PT, MS

"Office Safety Evaluation," a new Web-based safety training tool for office and computer users, can be accessed at the UCD Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) Web site http://ehs.ucdavis.edu/ergback. "Office Safety Evaluation" highlights key issues and provides resource information pertinent to the office environment.

Ergonomic Lifting Top Three Office Safety Issues:

Back Safety
Are you and your colleagues practicing safe lifting? Do you know how to safely lift your computer monitor? Your printer? Safe lifting includes knowing limitations, getting help if an item is too heavy, lifting with the legs instead of the back, keeping items close and avoiding twisting when lifting and lowering.
Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls
With the multitude of computer, printer, electrical, and phone connections required in most offices today, wires and cords have become a prime trip hazard. Wires and cords should never be stretched across an aisle or under carpeting. Under the desk, cords should be organized to reduce chances of catching a loose cord on your foot and tripping.
Office Ergonomics
"Office Safety Evaluation" points to a new Web-based safety training tool entitled "Computer Workstation Evaluation: Location, Fit, and Use," which will be highlighted in the next issue of the IT Times.

Additional Office Safety Issues:

File Cabinet Safety
File cabinets that are not secured to the wall can tip when heavy top drawers are opened, especially if weight is not evenly distributed among drawers. This potentially could lead to dangerous situations and loss of equipment.
Fire and Electrical Safety
Did you know it is unsafe to plug one power strip into another, because it exceeds the design capacity of the power strip and could be a fire hazard? Likewise, it is unsafe to plug a power strip into an extension cord. Use extension cords only for temporary power.
Chemical Safety
Are you properly handling and storing office chemicals such as laser printer toner cartridges? Store toner cartridges in the boxes they came in, and place them back in their bags and boxes after use. Some brands can be returned to the manufacturer for recycling. Read the instructions on the box.
Safety Training
Periodic office safety training is recommended to heighten employees' safety awareness. Environmental Health and Safety offers a multitude of training materials, including Safety Nets, videos, and Web-based information. For a listing of training materials, go to http://ehs.ucdavis.edu/ergback.

For more information on any safety-related issue, contact your EH&S Safety Advisor or EH&S at (530) 752-1493.

Send questions about ergonomics to ergonomics@ucdavis.edu. All correspondence will be kept confidential.