Whether it’s decorating the office, bringing in special food or throwing a Christmas party, there are plenty of opportunities for you to get into the festive spirit with your staff. These gestures are a great way to show your team how much you appreciate their hard work, but they can also create unforeseen hazards.
From trailing wires to spoiled food, anticipating these dangers is vital for avoiding any end of year mishaps. Here’s how you can keep your employees safe without seeming like the office Scrooge.
You’d better watch out
Wizzard may wish it could be Christmas every day, but the nation’s doctors and nurses would beg to differ. In the UK, 80,000 people end up in A&E at Christmas, and 6,000 of these are admitted to hospital. Many of these injuries occur at home, but workplace accidents also spike in the final weeks of the year.
These injuries are often caused by a change in routine. Christmas is an unusual time for offices, and these departures from the norm can make it difficult to stay on top of health and safety:
- Many businesses hire temporary staff during the Christmas season. These employees may be unfamiliar with your workplace’s established health and safety practices.
- Employees may be tempted to climb on furniture when putting up decorations.
- Old or damaged Christmas lights can create electrocution and fire hazards.
- Wires from Christmas lights can create tripping hazards that aren’t present during the rest of the year.
- Furniture may be rearranged for social events, creating new obstacles and potentially blocking fire exits.
- Extra food is often brought in, and this can become dangerous if not stored correctly.
- Colder and wetter weather can create slipping hazards in and around the office.
- A festive atmosphere may cause employees to be less diligent about health and safety in general.
Make a list and check it twice
Most of these dangers are easily dealt with. The important thing is to anticipate changes in the office environment and take the necessary precautions:
- Provide proper health and safety training for temporary staff. If you don’t have time to train everyone yourself, enlist some experienced employees to help. You can also check out our range of eLearning courses.
- Provide step ladders for putting up decorations, and ensure that this process is carefully supervised, including offering ladder training.
- Check Christmas lights for obvious signs of damage before plugging them in, and ensure that wires are nowhere near thoroughfares.
- Make sure all perishable food is clearly marked and stored in a fridge. Throw away any food that has been left out for too long or has passed its use by date.
- Check weather forecasts and grit outdoor pathways if icy conditions are predicted.
- Put down wet floor signs if indoor areas become wet on rainy days.
What about other workplaces?
Of course, not everybody works in an office. Workplaces come in all shapes and sizes, and all of these experience their own share of festive dangers:
- Retailers are likely to see a significant increase in footfall, and this can create hazards for both staff and customers. Overcrowded stores increase the likelihood of slips, trips and falls, as well as making it difficult to keep fire exits clear. The pressure to restock shelves during the day can also lead to aisles being blocked by boxes or pallets, creating another obstacle for customers.
- Restaurants will also get busier, and many will find themselves dealing with large group bookings. This increases the pressure on staff, making accidents more likely.
- Factories are likely to see a spike in orders, again putting pressure on staff. This can lead to safety protocols being overlooked in an effort to increase productivity.
In all of these cases, scheduling more staff should help. This will alleviate some of the pressure, allowing everyone to work to their usual safety standards. If this isn’t possible, you will need to make it clear to your employees that health and safety rules are non-negotiable, even during busy periods.
If you’re struggling to keep safety on the agenda this Christmas, don’t hesitate to give us a call.
