Free office workplace safety assessment

Start with these task groups. Use one worksheet per task, and add any task this list misses.

• Desk and screen work

  Discomfort, sustained posture, repetition, reach and adjustability.

• Walking between work areas

  Floor condition, cables, spills, stairs and temporary obstructions.

• Storage and document handling

  Lifting, unstable items, difficult reaches and access equipment.

• Office equipment and charging

  Damaged equipment, unsuitable use, maintenance and electrical concerns.

• Deliveries and shared facilities

  Loads, visitors, cleaning and building-management responsibilities.

• Reception and public contact

  Aggression concerns, communication and response arrangements.

• Late work and off-site duties

  Lone work, travel and other tasks assigned by the employer.

• Moves, maintenance and emergencies

  Changing layouts, contractors, unusual work and assistance arrangements.

5. 5

   Chemical hazards

   Cleaning sprays, disinfectants, copier toner and maintenance products: container labels, handling instructions, ventilation and exposure during spills or cartridge changes.

6. 6

   Lifting and repeated strain

   Archive boxes, paper cases and furniture moves, plus prolonged keyboard and mouse use, unsupported sitting and reaching across desks or above shoulder height.

7. 7

   Noise and vibration

   Headset volume during calls, crowded call-center floors, copier rooms and nearby renovation work that makes conversation or emergency warnings difficult to hear.

8. 8

   Heat, cold and physical agents

   Hot water dispensers and coffee makers, glare on screens, poorly lit archive aisles and uncomfortable temperatures when ventilation stops during after-hours work.

9. 9

   Biological hazards

   Shared headsets and workstations, restroom cleaning, discarded tissues and water-damaged ceiling tiles or carpet that need investigation with building management.

10. 10

    Fire and emergencies

    Portable heaters near paper, archive boxes stored along exit routes, overloaded charging areas and evacuation arrangements for visitors and workers needing assistance.

11. 11

    Confined or restricted spaces

    Ceiling voids, crawl spaces and building service shafts entered during cabling or maintenance; coordinate space evaluation and access with building management and contractors.

12. 12

    Violence and lone work

    Reception disputes, threatening calls, visitors entering staff-only areas, and employees leaving late or meeting unfamiliar people alone at an isolated office.

13. 13

    Work organization and contractors

    Meeting deadlines, sustained call handling, hybrid schedules, newly assigned staff and maintenance contractors sharing office routes while layouts or building services change.

14. 14

    PPE and exposure-control gaps

    Gloves and eye protection for cleaning or maintenance tasks, selected using product instructions and the actual exposure; ordinary desk work does not determine PPE needs.

15. 15

    Additional job-specific hazards

    Anything receptionists, records staff, cleaners or remote workers raise that this list misses, such as a changed workstation, travel assignment or new shared-building arrangement.

Consider eliminating or substituting the hazard first, then suitable engineering controls, administrative arrangements and PPE. The right combination depends on the job and the requirements that apply to it; PPE alone does not resolve every risk.

1. Elimination — remove the hazard or the task that creates it.
2. Substitution — use a less hazardous material, product, method or piece of equipment.
3. Engineering controls — separate people from the hazard with guards, barriers, ventilation or layout changes.
4. Administrative controls — change how the work is done through procedures, scheduling, instruction, signs and supervision.
5. Personal protective equipment (PPE) — protect each worker with equipment chosen, fitted and maintained for the task.

Ideas to discuss for this workplace:

• Review whether archives can move to a more accessible location or whether the retrieval task can be reduced.
• Consider suitable handling aids and access equipment. Coordinate building issues with the responsible manager.
• Check the revised task during an actual retrieval. Keep workstation concerns and storage-handling concerns as separate findings.

For each action, record the hazard, the people exposed, existing controls, the additional action, its priority and the basis for it, the responsible role, a target date, verification evidence and any remaining questions. Do not close a finding just because a document was created.

Describe roles, workstations, storage, visitors, deliveries and work outside normal hours. Include cleaning or maintenance done for your business. Bring employee concerns and recent changes to equipment, staffing or the office layout.