Small Changes Can Reduce Big Hazards
Workplace Safety Issues Affect Everyone
Look around your office. Do you see many potential safety and health hazards? Like most of the 30,000 or more Legislative Branch employees, you probably do not think that your workplace has any serious safety risks. How dangerous can a photocopier be, after all?
Contrary to popular belief, every workplace has potential hazards, and many hazards are caused by very ordinary items commonly found in most offices. For example, did you know that damaged wires, plugs, and improperly used extension cords resulted in 6,900 fires and $115.9 million in direct property damage between 1994 and 1998? (Source: National Fire Protection Association).
The Congressional Accountability Act (CAA) requires that the General Counsel of the Office of Compliance conduct an inspection of all Congressional facilities in order to ensure that Congress is in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act and its standards. The General Counsel is conducting the 4th of these biennial inspections, which cover 14 million square feet of office space and facilities – everything from House and Senate offices to Library of Congress storage facilities. Hundreds of workplace hazards are usually identified for correction in these inspections, many of which involve very ordinary everyday situations that can be easily corrected or avoided.
The following is a selection of some of the hazards most frequently found by the Office of Compliance during the recent inspections. Avoiding these potential problems in the workplace helps ensure that you, your coworkers, and Congress stay much safer.
Common Hazards Hit List
Blocking Sprinkler Heads: Sprinklers are an essential and effective means of fire protection for people and buildings. Often, however, furniture and stacked items are placed near or around sprinkler heads, blocking the range of the sprinkler and greatly reducing its effectiveness. Nothing should ever be placed any higher than 18 inches below a sprinkler or positioned in such a way as to block a sprinkler’s full range of coverage.
