Keeping people safe at your office needs to be your number-one priority, and while you might not think about it, there are many dangers in the average building. To ensure that your office is as hazard-free as possible, put these measures into place.
- Have Your Elevator Inspected
When elevators stop working, they are usually protected by a fail-safe that catches the box after it falls only a few feet. While this is better than having the elevator fall down the entire shaft, just those few feet can cause life-threatening injuries, particularly for the elderly and those with disabilities. Schedule a regular elevator consulting and display the results in your elevator along with its capacity statistics.
- Replace Your Fire Extinguishers
It’s easy to think of fire extinguishers as part of your office’s decor and forget about them, but they are critical, life-saving tools. Despite their importance in fighting fires, they do expire. Make a note of each fire extinguisher’s expiration date and set a reminder in your phone to purchase new ones well in advance.
- Test Your Water
Most likely, your water comes from a municipal water treatment facility, where it is purified before being sent to your office. However, depending on how old your pipes are, your water could be contaminated during its journey to your tap. Once a year, have your water tested for heavy metals such as lead as well as pollutants. If your water tests positive for any of these contaminants, do not use your taps until a professional has retested your water and addressed the issue.
- Encourage Exercise
Most office jobs are sedentary, and while you can’t avoid sending emails and talking on the phone, you can do so in a way that promotes your health. Encourage your employees to use standing desks and have walking meetings. Start a workout incentive program to support people who exercise regularly outside of work, with prizes such as cash bonuses, time off, or gym equipment. Talk to your supervisor about adding in an hour of exercise to your workday several times a week. As you design these programs, make sure you are sensitive to people who have health issues while still being supportive of everyone’s health.
Even though you probably don’t think that your workplace is unsafe, once you begin investigating hazards, you may be surprised at how many you find. All that matters is that you address them quickly.
