TOPIC: SAFE AND HEALTHY OFFICE HOUSEKEEPING.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

Better/active hours of the day, week, month and year are spent in the office.

OFFICE HOUSEKEEPING?

Housekeeping is the management and routine support activities of running and maintaining an organized physical institution occupied or used by people (Wikipedia).

AIM OF OFFICE HOUSEKEEPING?

It is to ensure the general cleanliness, orderliness and safe working of the entire office environment.

SAFE AND HEALTY OFFICE HOUSEKEEPING IMPEDEMENTS

There are several unsafe acts that impede safe and healthy office housekeeping. These include amongst other things:

IMPROPER USE OF THE TOILETS (OUR FOCUS);

• Littering of the offices with food and snacks crumbs
• Improper use of the office furniture/equipment.

TOILET HAZARDS

The illustrated pictures depict bad housekeeping lifestyle which poses serious health hazard not for the actor alone but other staff in the office/house.

EFFECTS OF TOILETS’ UNSAFE ACTS

• Odors

Unflushed toilets come  with odor, which may  refuse to leave. This can infiltrate the whole office, soak into the clothing of the occupants of the office.

The smell of unflushed faeces can actually attract other life forms such as flies, cockroaches and beetles, which contaminate food and water.

• Mold

Unflushed toilets produces mold which can cause severe respiratory problems in human and also monetary cost on the organization – Continuous replacement cost

• Disease

Aside from infection caused by mold, some diseases are directly caused by human sewage when faeces are not flushed/properly flushed.

Water spill and contact with mouth

Unwashed hands.

Disease Associated with this exposure

• Gastroenteritis (stomach flu, diarrhea and vomiting),
• Hepatitis,
• occupational asthma and even Weil’s disease known as Leptospirosis is an infectious disorder of animals and humans. It is easily transmitted from infected person/animals through their urine, either directly or through infected water/soil.

TOILET BEST PRACTICES – 1

• Ensure toilet is flushed before and after usage.
• Sit on the toilet seat when using the toilet.

SAY NO

To standing, stooping or squatting on TOILET SEAT For Peeing. Urinary is the idea for gents when it is provided, if you must use the toilet seat, ensure ‘PROXIMITY’- If you spill pee on the floor and/or on the toilet seat, ensure it’s PROPERLY mopped/cleaned.

• Ladies do not expose used sanitary pad either inside the toilet or in the waste basket – Wrap it properly with preferably black nylon bag and put in the waste basket.
• If you clean with water, mop the floor before leaving (Remember somebody may enter immediately after you)
• Used tissue papers should be properly disposed.
• Properly wash your hand with soap and apply sanitizer after using the toilet.

CONCLUSION

SAFETY STARTS WITH ‘S’ BUT BEGINS WITH ‘U’

HEARING PROTECTION IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT

INTRODUCTION

• Hearing protection in an office setting often involves measures to prevent and mitigate the adverse effects of noise and promote ear health among employees.
• Hearing protection encourage a more peaceful, and soothing working atmosphere. Even though office noise levels are often lower than those in industrial environments, it can nevertheless have a negative impact on workers’ health and productivity.

A 2021 systematic review conducted as part of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) initiative examined population‐representative surveys on hearing loss prevalence from 1990 to 2019 (GBD 2019 Hearing Loss Collaborators). It reported an estimate of 1.57 billion (95% uncertainty interval 1.51 to 1.64) people globally with hearing loss in 2019, which corresponds to one in five individuals (20.3% (19.5 to 21.1)). Differences in prevalence between countries were attributed to differences in healthcare access and quality, but also to the prevalence of occupational noise exposure. By 2019, 7 million (4.76 to 10.1) years lived with disability (YLDs) were attributable to occupational noise exposure. The GBD group has identified noise‐reduction strategies as one of the urgently needed multidisciplinary actions to improve hearing health care.

Common signs that employees may be experiencing adverse effects related to hearing in the office environment include:

• complaints about noise
• increased stress levels
• difficulties in communication
• the development of tinnitus or hearing discomfort.

HEARING PROTECTION MEASURES IN THE OFFICE

• Noise Reduction: Employ noise-reduction strategies, such as acoustic treatments, soundproofing, and quieter equipment, to minimize noise levels.
• Promotion of Ear Protection: Encourage employees to use earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones if they are particularly sensitive to noise.
• Quiet Zones: Establish designated quiet areas within the office space for employees who need a peaceful environment for focused work.
• Soundproofing Measures: Invest in sound-absorbing materials, such as carpets, acoustic panels, and cubicle dividers, to create a quieter office environment.

CONCLUSION

Incorporating ear care and hearing protection into the office environment not only safeguards employees’ hearing health but also enhances their overall well-being and productivity.

TOPIC: The Right and Wrong ways of doing things.