Emergency Procedures, Housekeeping, and Hazard Reporting
At Chandler Macleod, we take a proactive approach to managing health and safety risks, including in office-based environments. This includes completing risk assessments before placement, promoting early reporting, and maintaining regular safety communication with our people.
Our goal is to ensure that every employee is continuously supported throughout their working arrangement.
Here are the key steps that every workplace can take to reduce office-based risks and support employee wellbeing.
Emergency Preparedness
All employees should be familiar with your site-specific emergency procedures. This includes:
- Evacuation routes
- The location of first aid kits and identifying trained first aiders
- Regular drills (completed at least annually) to help ensure readiness.
If employees are unsure about their role during an emergency, we encourage you to provide guidance and allow them to raise any concerns.
Housekeeping and Slip, Trip, Fall Prevention
Many office incidents result from overlooked hazards such as loose cords, cluttered walkways, or wet floors. We recommend:
- Keeping walkways and common areas clear
- Conducting routine workspace inspections
- Ensuring appropriate signage is used during cleaning activities
- Reinforcing footwear expectations, especially in mixed-use environments
- Promptly reporting and addressing spills or other hazards.
As recognised through our 2025 RCSA Award for Excellence in Safety & Wellbeing Culture, these simple practices form the backbone of a safe workplace.
Chemical Safety in the Office
Chemical hazards may sometimes go unnoticed in office settings, but remember that common products like cleaning materials, hand sanitisers, and printer toner can still cause harm if not handled correctly. To help keep everyone safe, we advise:
- All containers must be correctly labelled
- PPE should be available and worn where required
- Safety Data Sheets are accessible for relevant substances
- Employees should be aware of safe use, storage, and disposal practices.
Silent Hazards: Risks in the Office Environment
Office environments are often seen as low risk, but ergonomic hazards can be easily overlooked and may lead to significant injuries over time.
In a recent case, an employee working in a hybrid model developed persisting back pain, not from a single event, but from prolonged use of a setup that appeared acceptable on the surface. Both their home and office workstations met general ergonomic standards, yet discomfort still developed.
Stay ahead of silent hazards by:
- Regularly reviewing workplace setups
- Educating employees with practical guidance on how to adjust workstations
- Providing adaptable equipment options and encouraging early reporting.
Hazard Reporting
We continue to promote early reporting of hazards and incidents. If an employee identifies a risk or is involved in an incident, we ask that they report it immediately to both their supervisor and Chandler Macleod. We are available via phone (including after hours), email or via our website.
Safety Resources
We’ve gathered a list of additional safety resources that you may find helpful for your workplace. Check these out:
