The Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 established an obligation for your employer to provide each Legislative Branch employee a safe and healthful place to work. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) established similar requirements for employers in the private sector and the Federal executive branch of government. A general obligation [general duty] has been established for employing offices to furnish to each employee a workplace free of recognized hazards that are likely to cause death or serious physical harm and to comply with the standards established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration under the OSH Act.
Each worker needs to stay alert to potential office safety and health hazards and bring them to the attention of a supervisor or manager to have them properly addressed. The following checklist will assist office workers, managers and other employees to ensure a safer workplace. Use this checklist to see if your office area is in compliance.
Review your office emergency action plan or evacuation plan to know where to go if a building evacuation or a shelter-in-place emergency alarm is sounded in your building. If you have assigned duties under your office plan, know what they are and how to perform them. Make sure that emergency telephone numbers are available.
Ensure that office annunciators are working properly and kept fully charged for emergency use. Reset them after each use.
Make sure exit signs are working can be seen in all conditions, and that work areas have emergency lighting where necessary. Do not block exit doors. Ensure that ceiling tiles are intact and that all holes and wall penetrations are sealed.
Check electrical wires for your desk equipment as well as other office equipment to ensure that extension cords are not being used as permanent wiring connections. Each power strip or surge protector must be plugged directly into a floor or wall outlet. Make sure each three-prong has its ground prong.
