To highlight just how easy it is to miss dangers in the workplace, Phoenix Health & Safety has created this brainteaser for you to solve. Can you spot the eight hazards hiding in plain sight in the puzzle? 

You might never give health and safety a second thought when you walk into the office, but there are hidden risks in every work environment. In the UK alone, there were 565,000 non-fatal injuries reported in the past year, which highlights the importance of having proper health and safety measures in place.”

1: Cable running across the floor

Slips, trips and falls are the most common injuries in the workplace, accounting for 30% of all injuries in the UK. Make sure your employer is taking the correct steps to stay safe by ensuring your office is free from tripping hazards.

2: Overloaded plug socket

Never overload an extension lead by plugging in appliances that will exceed the maximum current allowed. This could cause the plug in the wall socket to overheat, posing a fire risk in the office. Taking an Electrical Safety First course can help you understand the dangers of overloaded plug sockets.

3: Lifting boxes with bad posture

Handling, lifting and carrying items are the second most common cause of injury in the workplace. You can avoid back injury by taking a Manual Handling Awareness training course to learn practical techniques for lifting and carrying heavy objects.

4: Only one foot on ladder

Falls from heights are the third-highest cause of fatal injury in the workplace, so if you are planning on using ladders, make sure that your employer has trained you in working at heights.

5: Slip hazards from leak/spillage

Employers have a duty to make sure that anyone using the workplace is safe from harm, including conducting a risk assessment of slips and trips in the office. Conducting an office risk assessment will identify any potential dangers in the workplace so that they can be removed before they cause harm.

6: Handbag blocking fire exit

Organisations should ensure the safety of their employees by having a trained staff member responsible for assessing and reducing the risks of fire. As part of this fire risk assessment, fire exits must always be easily accessible. Additionally, staff should be trained to make sure that nothing is blocking the fire exits in case of an emergency, helping ensure that everyone can exit quickly and safely.

7: Falling objects

Items falling from overstocked shelves can be a reason for injuries to the head, causing more than a headache for the employer! A general risk assessment will look at storage in the workplace to identify any risks from falling objects and give recommendations to reduce them.

8: Employee slumped in computer chair

We’ve all hit that 3pm slump, but bad posture can cause a whole range of problems in the long term  including neck and back pain, muscle strain, and joint damage. Ensuring everyone in the office has had a Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessment will help reduce potential harm from poor posture.