Office hazards and risks

Workplace Stress
Workplace stress can occur when people are subjected to demands and expectations that are out of keeping with their needs, abilities, skills and coping strategies. In general, the combination of high demands in a job and a low amount of control over the situation can lead to stress. Stress in the workplace can have many origins or come from one single event. Good and bad stressStress can be both good and bad. Some stress is normal. It is often what gives us movtivation to meet our daily challenges. Stress can have negative effects for your health and well being when high demands and expections continue for long periods that exceed your abilities, skills and coping strategies. Workplace Bullying![]() Workplace Bullying is defined as the repeated less favourable treatment of a person by another or others in the workplace which may be considered unreasonable and inappropriate in workplace practice. It includes behaviour that could be expected to intimidate, offend, degrade, humiliate undermine or threaten.
Bullying is normally associated with an ongoing systematic pattern of behaviour.An isolated incident of behaviour is not considered bullying, but may of course lead to action being taken against the perpetrator based on that single incident.
Bullying constitutes significant risk to the health, safety and wellbeing of individuals and can lead to serious psychological injury and other illness. It should be managed using the same risk assessment and control processes that other workplace hazards are subject to.
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![]() Employee assist for managersThere is a service specifically for Managers and Supervisors in EAP called managerAssistTM and it is an EAP Advisory service that assists managers and team leaders in managing situations such as:
managerAssistTM is a resource service, providing suggestions and options. A manager/team leader accessing the service decides on appropriate action, applying relevant HR policy. The manager/team leader remains in control in managing the situation. More information is available on the Human Resources Website: http://www.hr.unsw.edu.au/employee/eap.html
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Communication and Interactions with Staff and Clients![]()
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Kitchen HazardsMost offices have a shared kitchen area. It is important to keep these areas clean and tidy, and to wipe up spills immediately to prevent falls.
These areas may also provide a range of kitchen appliances for staff to use, including:
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Office equipment![]()
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Reception HazardsMany offices across campus have reception areas. It is important that these areas have addtional controls in place to manage hazards of working in these areas.
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Hazards![]()
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Compactus
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Working With Computers![]()
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Office Risk Assessments
- Working in an office environment:- Including working with computers, office equipment etc.
- Delivering training and marking
- Social Functions
- Off-Site Travel:- Including conferences, visiting off site locations
For overseas and complex travel refer to the UNSW Travel Services website Travel Risk Management Form
Office risk register
Risk registers must be maintained by each area. They contain
- All the hazards identified in the area
- The details of the risk associated with the hazards
- Any relevant legislation
- Any relevenat UNSW procedures or documents
- And risk controls