
A few tips on how to stay safe in a shared workspace.
Health and safety is an important factor of everyday life in the workspace. It is essential that everyone is safe and that no equipment or electricals cause avoidable harm.
There are a few straightforward things you can do to ensure your fellow workspace users remain safe in a shared workspace.
Risk Assess your Shared Workspace
Firstly conduct a risk assessment. This is actually a legal obligation under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 for any company with over five employees. They aren’t usually that complicated but you do need to have a competent person assisting you. A few of the things you need to check and look for include noise levels, hazardous substances and electrical equipment.
What’s more, you don’t have to be in charge of a large company to risk assess a building. For those in shared workspace, just looking out for faulty electrics and trip hazards could save somebody a lot of pain.
Remove Hazards in Electrical Equipment

Secondly check that all electrical equipment meets safety standards. Avoid overloading plug sockets in shared workspace as this can be both an electrical and fire hazard. Also make sure that a trained professional checks all computers and equipment to ensure employee safety.
Be Fire Hazard Conscious

You also need to consider fire hazards. Make sure that all your employees know where the fire escapes are and, if working in a shared workspace, remember it is not just down to specific individuals to ensure nothing obstructs escape routes.
Control Noise Levels

Noise control is another important safety factor in shared workspace. It directly affects how comfortable people are whilst working. Construction work can be a big nuisance, especially to those in city centre workspaces. If there is loud construction work happening around your building, avoid having employees sit directly near the source of the noise – this could permanently damage hearing.
Follow these health and safety tips and maintain regular checks to create a safe office environment with minimal cost or labour.