New Office Health and Safety Guide Released by WorkSafe Victoria.
Why the need for a new office safety guide
There is no doubt that the office environment is evolving with many people spending over a third of their entire working lives at work. It is now more critical than ever to ensure that these environments support the health, safety and comfort of its workers. To reflect this progression, Worksafe Victoria have recently updated their guidance material with a new guide for employers on office health and safety. This guide, which was published in December 2024, replaces the WorkSafe Officewise document originally published in 2006.
The new guide provides a more up-to-date resource for people involved in office-related work.
It incorporates a risk management approach to help identify hazards and implement controls measures to eliminate or reduce risks. With more comprehensive content, updated terminology, and recognition of the evolving work environments (including remote work), the guide reflects the realities of today’s workplaces. While risks involved with office-related work might not seem as serious as other workplaces, such as factories or mine sites, the amount of time individuals spend in these environments exposes them to increases risk of sustaining musculoskeletal disorders.
The key areas of concern with office-related work include:
- prolonged repetitive work or static postures
- hazardous environmental factors (e.g. glare or over-illuminated workstations)
- inadequate or poorly designed workstations and equipment
- psychological hazards (e.g. high workloads and a lack if resources)
Covered in the guide:
- health and safety responsibilities
- risk management
- common hazards in office work
- how to design a healthy and safe working environment
- recommendations for office layout design
- recommendations for working from home
- tips for general health and safety in the office
This updated office health and safety guide is a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve workplace safety — whether you’re an employee, employer, manager, or health and safety representative. If you’re looking for more tailored support, our ergonomics consultants are experienced in conducting comprehensive workstation assessments to help improve the health, safety, comfort and productivity of all staff.
Our team also sees the other side of office safety — we are often called in to investigate workplace injuries and assess liability.
Don’t wait until a workplace injury becomes a legal case. Take proactive steps to assess the health and safety of your office today.
