Office Space FAQ

Under UK law, employers have a duty of care towards their staff, clients, and visitors. This means that it's necessary to have policies and procedures in place that safeguard health and safety in the workplace. The particulars of these policies and procedures vary depending on the workplace type, but the following requirements apply to most office-based businesses.

Anticipating risks and hazards is the first step when it comes to maintaining high health and safety standards. It's important to differentiate between the two concepts and to ensure both aspects are assessed. A hazard is any potential source of harm, whereas a risk is the likelihood of harm taking place.

It's the employer's responsibility to first identify hazards in the office, and then evaluate the risks taking into account the nature of their business operations. You can carry out a risk assessment online here.

The next step is to implement preventative measures to keep risks and hazards under control. If you employ five or more people, you'll need to have a written health and safety policy. This policy must address every potential issue raised by the risk assessment. In addition, the contents of the policy must include:

- An outline of the company's approach to health and safety.
- A description of the strategies used to minimise risks and hazards.
- An identification of the responsibilities of each party involved (management and staff).
- An online of the specific actions that each party has to take to fulfil their responsibilities.

You can learn about the main sections of a business health and safety policy here. This page also contains a template.

You'll also need to review the health and safety policy regularly and update it accordingly if there are any changes to your workplace's risks and hazards

Office staff must be aware of which emergency procedures are in place. This can be communicated verbally or through training sessions. It's also recommended that visitors are informed about the existing emergency procedures. This doesn't need to be done on an individual basis, since using signage such as posters or cards in prominent areas will be sufficient.

To maintain a healthy work environment in the office, the following measures are effective:

- Having a well-stocked first aid kit and ensuring staff know where it's located. The contents vary depending on the hazards present, but you can find some general suggestions here. Employers who have identified a certain risk level should also appoint a staff member that can deliver first aid if needed. Appointed first aiders must attend a course run by an approved training provider. Where this is not necessary, all you'll need is a staff member that can oversee first aid arrangements.

- Incident recording. You must record in writing and report to relevant authorities any health and safety incident, accident, or workplace-related disease. This isn't only a legal requirement but also serves insurance purposes in situations where liability insurance is called in.

- Ensure office ventilation is adequate and there's a good supply of fresh air in enclosed spaces. Ventilation requirements are outlined here.

- Use temperature control systems to provide comfort for employees. More information on the minimum requirements is available here.

- Prevent trips and falls by keeping all areas free of obstacles.

- Arrange for regular equipment maintenance. This includes fire safety equipment, air conditioning, electrical testing, etc.

- Review your procedures and workload often to avoid workplace stress.

- Invest in ergonomic equipment to prevent upper body injuries, which are common among office workers.