It's a common conception that office environments are perfectly safe when it comes to health & safety and indeed, when you compare an office environment to a more industrial working environment, the hazards are certainly less severe.

However, it's unlikely that you'll find an office environment which is risk-free.  Common mishaps in office environments include:

• slips, trips and falls

• repetitive strain injuries from prolonged computer use

• back aches from manual handling (carrying boxes of paper for example)

• fires (most likely as a result of electrical equipment)

The law requires that any UK working environment that is under the control of an organisation with at least 5 employees, must hold valid and up-to-date health & safety documentation.

For office environments, the required documents are:

• health & safety policy statement

• fire risk assessment

• general risk assessment

• workstation risk assessments

• manual handling risk assessment

• disability access audit

• health & safety annual audit

© Clearworld Health & Safety Ltd 2010