Think Safety when Decorating the Office for Christmas
What can you possibly do in an office around Christmas that puts life and limb at risk?
The answer you’re searching for is hanging up decorations around the office. Many people don’t consider the risks attached to readying the workspace for festive fun.
Trips/slips or falls, electrical incidents and manual handling/lifting are the top three causes of accidents at work. Therefore, we’ve created a short guide to decorating the office safely and spotting the risks that are right in front of your eyes.
Hanging decorations means working at height
Hanging decorations usually means standing on something to reach higher locations (like the top of the tree).
But even a small change in height significantly increases the chances of injury, so reduce your risk by:
- Never standing on anything not designed for this activity such as desks or chairs. You’d be surprised how many people think it’s okay to stand on a swivel office chair!
- Leaving the responsibility of hanging decorations to those trained in the correct use of ladders
- Avoiding using paper decorations at all and, in the same vein, hanging any decorations from electrical fittings where you might damage connections and increase the risk of fire
Give your Christmas tree some space
The tree is the focal point of most Christmas decorations, beautifully decorated and twinkling with tinsel and lights.
However, it’s important to note that every year there are thousands of accidents arising from Christmas trees. So, to keep it centre of attention for all the right reasons:
- Locate your tree away from walkways and above all make sure it doesn’t obstruct fire extinguishers or interfere with fire evacuation routes
- Make sure it is stable by securing it to a suitable permanent fixture if necessary
- Handle glass baubles carefully to reduce the risk of cuts from broken ones
Show those Christmas lights some tlc
Christmas lights are often stuffed in a bag after they are taken down, leading to damaged wires and connections and increasing the risk of them malfunctioning and causing a fire.
Before using old lights again check they have a kite mark safety standard on them and give them a thorough inspection by:
- Checking the plug for damage to the casing and the wire grips have secured the flex
- Checking the flex by looking for damaged insulation, bare wires or any other sign of damage
- Making sure the correctly rated fuse is fitted to the plug
- Avoiding the use of multiple electrical adapters or extension leads
- Fully uncoiling all wiring
- Avoiding trailing cables across walkways and access points and switch off all decorative lights at night or when the office is unmanned
- Checking outside lights are routed through an RCD or similar safety device
Keep the festive fires contained (to a cosy wood-burning stove perhaps)
Fire is probably the single biggest risk in an office environment on a daily basis. However, festive decorations can increase this risk further.
Here are the key points to keep in mind to ensure you are decorating the office safely:
- Hanging decorations over electrical equipment ventilation slots could cause the equipment to overheat and catch fire, so make sure you keep these vents clear
- Never drape decorations near heaters or naked flames
- Avoid the use of wax candles or any other naked flame
In conclusion, I think we can all agree that no one ever thinks working in an office is dangerous. For the vast majority of the time, it is normally a safe environment in which to work. By following the steps above you can carry on enjoying a safe workplace right through the festive period.
If you require additional support please contact our Health and Safety Team on 0345 184 4615.
In addition, if you’re interested in finding out more about our Health & Safety Services you can contact us or download our brochure.
