Falls and collisions are the most common cause of injury in offices with those occurring on the same level being just as numerous as those occurring on stairs. Manual handling, accidents with furniture and incidents with equipment and machinery are also common.
Slips, trips, falls and collisions:
Keep the area tidy.
Avoid trailing cables.
Clear up spilt liquids.
Fix down turned up carpets.
Don't climb on chairs, desks or cupboards.
Always use the stair handrail.
Don't carry too much up or down stairs.
Don't read when using stairs or walking around.
Don't run, walk.
Be careful with hot drinks.
Handling and lifting:
Only lift items if you have to.
If a truck or trolley is available, use it!
Get someone to help.
Safe lifting practice:
Stand close to the load and centre yourself over it with your feet shoulder width apart.
Tighten your abdominal muscles.
Keeping your back straight, bend your knees and squat down to the floor.
Get a good grasp on the load with both hands.
Keep the load close to your body and use your leg muscles to stand up lifting the load off the floor.
Your back should remain straight throughout lifting, using only the muscles in the legs to lift the load.
Don't twist your body when moving the load. Instead take small steps with your feet turning until you are in the correct position.
Again bend at the knees using only your leg muscles and place the load in the appropriate spot.
Furniture:
Make best use of the available space.
Place filing cabinets to give maximum room when a drawer is open.
Spread loads over the cabinets to prevent them tipping over.
Open the drawers one at a time.
Close draws and doors when not in use.
Machinery and equipment:
Use machines with respect and follow instructions.
Don't use machines without training or supervision.
Report all faults and accidents.
Switch off machines after use.
Be careful handling chemicals.
Be careful with equipment like knives and scissors.
For more information about the legal responsibilities of employers and employees contact the HSE or your local Environmental Health department.
You are entitled to review your medications with your local pharmacist free of charge.
A healthy balanced diet, taking more exercise and losing weight if necessary may delay the onset of diabetes.
Young people aged 13-25 years can access free, confidential sexual health advice and condoms from the Cardiff Condom-Card (C-Card) Scheme.
A reduction in dietary salt intake from 9g to 6g could reduce blood pressure.
In England and Wales, alcohol misuse leads to some 33,000 hospital admissions each year for alcohol-related liver disease.
Improving your diet could prevent an estimated third of cancers.
Over 40% of 5 year olds in Cardiff have one or more decayed teeth.
Currently, over half of the population of Cardiff are reported to be overweight or obese.
If you drive at twice the legal alcohol limit you are at least 30 times more likely to cause a road crash, than a driver who hasn't been drinking.
A healthy balance diet, physical activity and maintaining a healthy body weight have been shown to be effective in the prevention and treatment of hypertension.
Obesity is associated with a reduction in life expectancy of approximately 9 years.
Regular exercise can really help if you're feeling depressed, stressed or anxious.
A diet rich in fruit and vegetables decreases the risk of coronary heart disease.
Of the people alive today, 650 million will eventually be killed by tobacco.
An extra portion of fruit and vegetables per day could decrease the risk of coronary heart disease by 4% and stroke by 6%.
If you are regularly physically active, you are 50% less likely of becoming obese.
Nearly £2000 a year could be saved by quitting smoking 20 cigarettes per day.
If you are regularly physically active, you are approximately 50% less likely to develop coronary health disease than those who do not exercise.
By taking regular physical activity you are at reduced risk of developing osteoporosis.
Smoking during pregnancy has been identified as a cause of cot death.
In Wales, the total cost of physical inactivity to the health service and the economy as a whole is estimated at around £650 million per year.
6,000 deaths from coronary heart disease in men each year are directly due to alcohol.
Only 26% of adults in Cardiff undertake the recommended 5 x 30 minutes exercise per week.
