Objects
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Hazards
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Possible Controls
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Freestanding shelves
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- Climbing on lower shelves to reach documents stored on higher shelves
- Shelving is unstable
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- Ensure that single rows of freestanding shelving are secured to prevent toppling over
- Limit height of freestanding shelving bays to permit reach to top shelf whilst standing normally
- Label shelves to identify that heavier items to be placed on lower shelves
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Compactus
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- Excessive force needed to operate heavily loaded shelving bays
- Gripping shelves to gain extra leverage may cause fingers to be trapped when the compactus shelves are closed
- Employee may be working out of sight between shelving bays when another employee closes up the Compactus
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- Ensure Compactus is not loaded beyond its design capacity, and check capacity periodically
- Use and maintain locking mechanisms
- Remove and archive old or little-used files
- Check ease of operation periodically and arrange maintenance and lubrication for moving parts
- Display appropriate signage to ensure correct operation and warn against closing the compactus on employees working within
- Instruct employees to check that no other employee is working inside Compactus before operating it
- Locate a mirror to allow employees to see ‘blind spots’ in compactus
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Filing cabinets
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- Filing cabinet tipping over
- Cabinet unstable if heavily loaded top drawer is pulled open to its full extent
- Cabinet drawers slide open when cabinet is not level and is left unlocked
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- Where appropriate place heavier contents in lowest drawers and distribute files to keep centre of gravity as low as possible to minimise risk of cabinet tipping
- Check that all cabinets are standing level and use rubber wedges to stabilise any unsteady cabinet. Test to ensure drawers do not open when cabinet is unlocked
- Ensure one draw is opened at a time (e.g. use filing cabinets with anti tilt mechanism and locking system)
- Locate cabinet against a wall and check that file cabinet stands level (may need to use wedges and spirit level to achieve level position)
- Restrain filing cabinet to the wall
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Access to stored contents
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- Lifting files above head height
- Lifting files below the knees
- Tightly packed drawers require excessive force to remove or insert files
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- Provide a step, stepladder or ladder to allow employees to work safely at any shelf level
- Plan storage to locate heaviest or most frequently used documents at easily accessible heights to minimise the demands of manual handling (i.e. waist height)
- Ensure employees are trained appropriately in correct lifting techniques (e.g. avoid twisting)
- Review contents periodically and archive any old or little used files
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Obstructing walk ways
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- Cabinets with slide out draws / sideway hinged doors which open to obstruct a passageway
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- Where possible locate cabinets out of trafficable areas
- If cabinets border on passageways, select cabinets which have slide-away or roller doors, which do not protrude when open
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