While safety is a topic that requires attention and focus every day and every second, National Safety Month in June is an ideal time to rally employees around a theme. By holding workplace health and safety meetings with every member of your organization, you are placing emphasis on the importance of on and off the job safety.

The theme this week is Hazard Recognition. How do you prepare and prevent accidents? Below is a helpful article about dangers in the workplace:

Dangers in the Workplace

Dangers in the Workplace

Most people who work in an office-setting never stop to think about the dangers that exist in their cubicle or at their desk. While the risk of injury is significantly lower than in many blue-collar fields, there are inherent dangers present in the office that can result in serious injury. Some examples include:

  • Furniture with sharp corners, projecting edges or wobbly legs are a “ticking time bomb” for injury.
  • Tilting chairs that are not properly maintained can easily tip over.
  • Using desks, tables or chairs as a ladder greatly increases the chance of an accident.
  • Opening more than one file drawer at a time can cause a sudden shift in weight balance, which could cause the file cabinet to suddenly fall over.
  • Overloading the top drawer of a file cabinet can cause it to become unstable and top-heavy.
  • Closing file cabinets quickly can cause pinched fingers.
  • Obstructed, dirty and/or wet floors can cause serious injury through trips or falls.
  • Office “avalanches” can result from improper stacking of heavy boxes, papers, books and other office materials.
  • Sticking your hand inside a printer to try and remove a jam can result in a hand injury or even electrocution.