The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations govern the standards required by all workplaces to ensure optimum health and safety in the workplace. Accidents at work are unfortunately more common than people think! They can occur in a variety of ways, depending on the type of work someone does and the area which they are based in. This article will mainly focus on office spaces.
Under the regulations a workplace is defined as “any premises or part of premises which are not domestic premises are made available to any person as a place of work“. The regulations also cover the means of getting to and from the designated area, for example: rooms, lobbies corridors and staircases.
As mentioned above, this blog focuses on the office environment and therefore will discuss four main areas:
- Workstations
- Seating
- Lighting
- Temperature and ventilation
Workstations
Working in an office undoubtedly is always going to involve sitting at a desk for prolonged periods of time and therefore it is imperative that you are comfortable and supported whilst in this role. Sitting for a long period of time in an awkward uncomfortable position can cause long term injury such as progressive and repetitive disease.
Under the regulations a workplace is to be arranged so that they are suitable for ANY person to work at. Of course, what adjustments need to be made will be tailored to individual people for example; the taller the person, then perhaps the higher the desk needs to be positioned to ensure their legs and back are not crouched. The most important and arguably interesting thing to note is that the regulations personalise the workstation to the worker – so if you require something to make your workplace comfortable (such as a wrist rest for your keyboard) you should always notify your employer.
Seating
Inappropriate seating is also something that can cause medical conditions and in a similar way to that above, seating should be provided that is suitable for that person. Chairs should also always be inspected and maintained in good condition as if a chair breaks, a workplace claim may be possible if your employers were on notice of an issue.
Lighting
There is a strict duty imposed in regards to lighting which ensures that it is always suitable and sufficient. If a light is provided and not turned on or fails resulting in injury, you may have a claim. So for example: if a light that should have been on was not and this then caused you to fall there may be a breach of duty.
Temperature
In most offices it is a common argument on who gets control of the thermometer. Under the regulations the temperature need only be “reasonable” (so if you get cold pretty easily – always remember a cardy!). Of course there is no definition of reasonable it is more of a common sense thing but there is guidance that 16 degrees be the minimum (and this is mainly when the work being carried out involves severe physical effort).
Also, just as a small note: if you work in somewhere with excessive heat or cold (like a freezer) then the issue of whether you have a claim may come to the provision of Personal Protective Equipment. For example, you may need warm clothing and gloves to stop getting ill or injured due to cold temperatures in a freezer warehouse.
Working in an office should not be an uncomfortable experience and should not result in any type of injury. However, if you feel that you have suffered an injury (such as spinal or muscle damage) because of an unsuitable work area you may be entitled to compensation. Give our expert team a call on 0800 634 7575 for more advice on starting a claim for compensation.