Product Overview

This Office Safety SWMS is a detailed Safe Work Method Statement designed to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement effective controls for office-based work environments. It is a comprehensive document that covers multiple aspects of office safety, including the safe use of office equipment and furniture, to support robust WHS compliance.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Safe selection, setup, and use of office equipment such as printers, photocopiers, shredders, and scanners
• Ergonomic workstation setup, including correct positioning of monitors, keyboards, chairs, and accessories
• Safe handling, adjustment, and relocation of office furniture to minimise manual handling injuries
• Management of electrical safety for office equipment, including power boards, extension leads, and cable management
• Control of slip, trip, and fall hazards in offices, corridors, kitchens, and amenities areas
• Use of display screen equipment (DSE) and controls to reduce eye strain, fatigue, and repetitive strain injuries
• Safe storage of files, stationery, and materials in shelving units, cupboards, and compactus systems
• Housekeeping standards for desks, shared spaces, and storage rooms to maintain a safe working environment
• Emergency procedures in an office environment, including evacuation, first aid access, and incident reporting
• Psychosocial risk considerations such as workload management, work-related stress, and bullying and harassment controls
• Visitor and contractor safety within office areas, including induction and access control
• Use of office kitchens and break areas, including safe use of appliances such as kettles and microwaves

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for office-based businesses, corporate workplaces, government departments, professional services, and site supervisors or PCBU representatives responsible for managing office safety.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities – Guidance on providing a safe, healthy, and compliant office work environment
• Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks – Risk management for lifting, carrying, and moving office furniture and equipment
• Code of Practice: Managing Psychosocial Hazards at Work – Controls for stress, fatigue, bullying, and other psychosocial risks in office settings (title may vary slightly by jurisdiction)
• AS/NZS 3760 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment – Requirements for testing and tagging office electrical equipment
• AS/NZS ISO 45001 Occupational health and safety management systems – Framework for systematic management of office WHS risks
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017