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Answers are extracted from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/casestudies/pdf/office.pdf
- The office manager carried out the risk assessment at this company, which provides management and financial consultancy services, and which leases two storeys of a ten-storey office
block.
Eighteen staff work at the company; one is a wheelchair user. The offices contain typical office furniture and equipment. There is a staff kitchen, where drinks can be prepared and food heated, and there are toilet and washing facilities on each floor.
The offices are cleaned every evening by general office cleaning contractors. They store the cleaning materials in a locked cupboard.
The office block was built before 2000. The landlord has surveyed the building for the presence of asbestos, and has shared the findings of this survey with all of the tenants. Asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) were found, but were in good condition and in places where they were not likely to be damaged, worked on or disturbed, so it was decided to leave them in place.
The office block is locked from 9 pm to 6 am Monday to Friday and at weekends, although 24 hours a day, 7 days a week security cover is provided.
Although this example risk assessment is for an office-based business, it may equally be applied to any business that has office- based functions within it.
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Possible hazards include:
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Slips and trips
Staff and visitors may be injured if they trip over objects or slip on spillages. - Manual handling of paper, office equipment, etc.
Staff risk injuries or back pain from handling heavy/bulky objects, e.g. deliveries of paper. - Display screen equipment
Staff risk posture problems and pain, discomfort or injuries, e.g. to their hands/arms, from overuse or improper use or from poorly designed workstations or work environments. Headaches or sore eyes can also occur, e.g. if the lighting is poor. - Working at height, filing on top shelves, putting up decorations, etc.
Falls from any height can cause bruising and fractures. - Stress
All staff could be affected by factors such as lack of job control, bullying, not knowing their role, etc. - Electrical
Staff could get electrical shocks or burns from using faulty electrical equipment. Electrical faults can also lead to fires. - Asbestos:
Asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) are present in some partition walls Staff and others carrying out normal activities, at very low risk as asbestos only poses a risk if fibres are released into air and inhaled. Maintenance workers are most at risk. - Fire
If trapped, staff could suffer fatal injuries from smoke inhalation/burns. - Lone working
Staff could suffer injury or ill health while out of the office, e.g. when visiting clients’ offices, or while working alone in the office.
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Slips and trips
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