Using this guide

Introduction

Most organisations have office-related work. Offices can vary from multistorey, air-conditioned buildings to small areas that are part of warehouses, factories, hospitals and homes. While hazards in an office may not always be as obvious as those in factories, office workers can face a range of health and safety issues. These include:

• poor job design, such as prolonged repetitive work or moving heavy loads
• unhealthy environmental conditions, such as inadequate lighting or excessive noise
• poor office design, such as unsuitable workstations or equipment
• psychological hazards like aggression or violence and bullying
• general health and safety issues, such as infectious diseases or injuries.

Technological advances and the increase of flexible and portable equipment has expanded the office environment into areas outside the traditional office. For example, onsite locations, vehicles and the home. It is important that occupational health and safety (OHS) practices keep pace with the rapid changes in office-related work.

Office health and safety: A guide for employers promotes health and safety in office environments. It brings together a range of information and provides references where more information is necessary. This guide aims to:

• raise awareness of health and safety issues in the office
• help identify existing and potential health and safety problems
• encourage consultation on health and safety issues
• help employers meet their health and safety legal responsibilities
• offer potential solutions and advice
• give guidance on where to go for further information and help.

This guide is based on a risk management approach to office health and safety. This is a consultative process to identify hazards, assess their risks and control them, so far as reasonably practicable. For example, this approach should be used for the:

• design and management of offices
• work carried out in offices
• selection and use of furniture and equipment.

Other types of guidance material

Compliance codes

Compliance codes provide practical guidance about what constitutes compliance with OHS laws to people who have duties or obligations under the:

A person who complies with a compliance code is taken as complying with the OHS Act.

Technical reports, guides and guidance notes

Technical reports and guidance notes provide specific information on aspects of health and safety. While these are not laws, they give advice to help with decisions on health and safety.

Australian standards

There are many Australian standards that relate to office work. Standards set basic requirements in the design, development and use of:

• equipment
• furniture
• plant
• work practices.

They apply to both office and industrial work environments.

Australian standards are not law unless incorporated into legislation. However, where an issue in law is being considered, reference can be made to Australian standards to help tell duty holders how to comply with an obligation. Compliance codes sometimes reference specific Australian standards.

Where relevant, this guide references:

• regulations
• compliance codes
• technical reports
• guidance notes
• Australian standards.

Employers should use these publications to help their organisations effectively manage health and safety issues in office work.