Health and safety regulations in an office environment are much different than those in other work environments. For example, the health and safety requirements of a warehouse job will generally be much more strict. This is not to say that there aren’t some health issues that warrant serious consideration in a work environment. It is because of these issues that certain regulations have been developed to ensure the health of workers in offices. These regulations are not very intrusive at all, and really can help make work a much safer environment.

Violence Prevention

When a lot of people think about workplace safety and health, they only ever think of getting sick or injured on the job. Many completely overlook the reality of workplace violence as a health and safety issue. However, there are many instances every year where people are assaulted at work.

In New York, there are a few different regulations on the books that help protect employees from violence. One important regulation requires employers to make high-risk areas more visible to more people. This means that a dark corner in the parking lot can be reported. Employers are required to provide lighting and visibility of all areas of the workplace to help discourage violence against employees.

Air Quality Regulations

In New York, there are statewide and OSHA-based safety protocols to protect air quality. At the state level, aggressive asbestos plans are in place to protect against mesothelioma. There are many buildings that still contain asbestos, and the asbestos only becomes dangerous once it is turned into an aerosol powder during construction. This is why workers may find that they have to work elsewhere during construction in some office buildings.

OSHA has standards for everything involved with office air quality. One of the most stringent is involved with the filtration of air and the efficiency of HVAC appliances. HVAC appliances need to meet efficiency standards set forth by the federal government. Filters need to be changed regularly to protect air quality indoors.

Regulatory Bodies

In New York, businesses are regulated at the city, state, and federal level. Each area of the state has more or less strict requirements for safety and health considerations. New York City generally has more intrusive, constricting, and strict regulations than the majority of New York state.

On the state level, workers can contact the New York State Department of Labor, Division of Safety and Health. The officials here will be able to direct you toward more regulations on workplace safety and health that are specific to New York. You will also get a better understanding of how New York applies these laws and how they are enforced.

For national regulations, workers should contact the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA. OSHA oversees the creation and implementation of workplace health and safety regulations that all businesses are bound to in the United States. No matter what state or corporate policies say, the standards set down by OSHA are universally applied to all businesses in the United States.