Office Safety

INTRODUCTION

Our office will comply with all University directives concerning proper procedures to keep the workplace safe. Refer to Chapter 2 of the Health and Safety Manual for general health and safety policies. Information on fire safety and office equipment can be found in Chapter 3 under the section Life Safety - Electrical Equipment.

APPLIANCES AND EQUIPMENT

Check appliances and equipment to make sure they are maintained in proper working order. Check electrical cords to make sure they are free from cracks and that the grounding prong is intact. If not, tag them as defective and remove them from service.

PORTABLE SPACE HEATERS

Electric space heaters are not permitted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that have a filament that glows "red-hot". Electric space heaters must also be equipped with an automatic shutoff, in case the heater is accidentally tipped over.

COFFEE POTS

All coffee pots must be equipped with an automatic timer that will shut off the appliance when left unattended. If coffee pots are not equipped with this timer, then replace the coffee pot. Also, all coffee pots must be unplugged at the end of the business day by the last person to leave or their designee.

MICROWAVE OVENS

Check microwave ovens to make sure that instructions are posted to remind users not to put metal foil in the oven. If instructions are not posted, then post instructions immediately. Be sure to clean the door gasket periodically to prevent the accumulation of material on the door gasket that may cause radiation leakage.

COOKING APPLIANCES

A number of emergency calls that Health and Safety Office receives are due to burnt food such as popcorn in cooking appliances. Employees should never leave food unattended while cooking. This will reduce a number of emergency calls due to nuisance smells in the work area.

ROOM TEMPERATURE

For the comfort and safety of employees, and for energy conservation purposes, the office temperature must be maintained within a reasonable comfort zone for all employees working in the area. The comfort zone for the office of the University Registrar will be from 68° F to 78° F. Thermostats, fans, air conditioners, and space heaters with individual controls should be located and be adjusted to keep the room temperature within this range. Employees should dress accordingly for their individual comfort within this temperature range.

REPORTING PERSONAL INJURIES

Injuries which result in hospitalization, lost work-time, or which require medical treatment beyond first aid, will be investigated by the Health and Safety Office for the purpose of analyzing the circumstances surrounding the injury, the possible need for corrective action, and whether it is compensable under the North Carolina Workers' Compensation Act.

The employee is responsible for notifying his or her supervisor immediately of any job-related injury or illness. If the employee is not able to do so, a fellow employee should notify the supervisor as soon as practicable.

The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the employee receives prompt treatment of the injury by obtaining first aid or medical treatment. If the treatment requires more than first aid, the supervisor or another person must accompany the injured to the appropriate medical facility for treatment. Injured employees are not to be sent unescorted to seek medical attention. The supervisor is also to notify the Health and Safety Office by telephone for follow-up.

REPORTS

The employee completes the form, Employee's Incident Report Form, Appendix A, and submits it to his/her supervisor or Human Resource Facilitator for transmittal to the Health and Safety Office.

The supervisor completes the Industrial Commission Form 19, Employer's Report of Injury to Employee, Appendix B, and forwards it to the Health and Safety Office within 24 work hours of knowledge of the incident.

The supervisor must also complete the Supervisor's Incident Investigation Form, Appendix C, to be submitted to the Health and Safety Office along with Form 19.