Help Stop These Common Accidents That Happen in The Office

The location: In any office in the workforce, 2016.

The visual: Two male employees are enjoying the sight of the "new" girl, working as a sales associate. For some reason, today she is dressed in a short skirt, but not breaking the dress code of the company, heels, and make-up that makes her look like a pin-up in any men's magazine.

The problem: Not what you would assume, sexual harassment. But what the two male employees are about to do: Start to enter the elevator to go down to the lobby and "hit the streets" to sell their products, but as the elevator door opens, the crowd aboard the elevator does not see the two men and trample them like a herd of terrified cattle on "Rawhide."

The two guys are injured then sent to the emergency room for X-Rays and uh, oh! One guy has a broken arm and the other guy's back is injured. Ouch! Hello, higher insurance premiums. And with these two guys now out of commission for at least six weeks to recover, this means that the productivity level of this workplace has suddenly declined. Now the work of these two injured employees has to be absorbed by the other office employees. Ouch, again! Hello, low morale and it's "friend," depression.

If someone, and I do not aim this at the top level of management, had done some thinking ahead of time, these guys would not have had such a clumsy and very-expensive accident. That's all it takes to make an office safe. But I can see how thinking ahead can become an oversight due to today's swift-paced society and the goal of making more and more money. I've been there.

That I am using a shorter introduction to my hubs and that means the time to introduce my headline is growing nearer with each hub. So it is with a great sense of fulfillment of doing something for others, I give you . . .

Help Stop These Common Accidents That Happen in The Office

• Throwing Ink Pens - - as if they were Ninja darts, is not just childish, but dangerous. An innocent employee can suffer from an eye injury or even the loss of sight if hit with one of these "innocent looking" tools of the office. Make this rule plain to all of the "Bruce Lee's" who work for you.
• Pulling Pranks - - on coworkers is another way to waste valuable time and to create an "accident just waiting to happen." What if "Joey," a cute, single, college graduate, new intern and known prankster, places a highly-volatile firework such as an M-80, which is illegal, into the important wiring behind the computers used to do work in the office? I can answer this with one word: Chaos. And a few heart attacks due from the sudden, loud explosion. Office managers, please see that the "Joker Joey's" are wise to this rule if you want your office to continue to be productive.
• Acting Like Tarzan - - of The Apes is another stupid antic some male employees might try to pull in the office. Oh, I know that they mean no harm and just want to help people, but climbing on unsecured ladders can lead to a painful fall and broken limbs. Besides, these "Tarzan's" should realize that today's women can be easily insulted by you exhibiting your male bravado. Women today are able to figure out how to get a box from a high place without you injuring your fool self in the process.
• Horseplay - - in any office should be strictly forbidden. (See video, "Dwight gets even with Jim," The Office). This so-called "fun" among coworkers can lead to nasty accidents, damaged self-images, and possible death, depending on the horseplay act. Example: pouring lighter fluid on an employee's back then setting fire to it, well, this one has "T E R M I NA T E D," written all over it.
• Inner-office - - pranks by using the telephone is not wise. During your "safe" prank to build morale, what if someone's family is trying to get through to their wife, husband or cousin to get them to go to the emergency room to help with an elderly uncle who swallowed some industrial ammonia thinking it was mayonnaise? You did not think of this, did you? Office managers, I tell you. You have more work to do to thwart office cut-up's than you thought.
• Using an intern - - to carry your excessive amount of files, computer hard drive while also having to balance a cardboard holder full of coffee for the entire office staff is one thing that a senior member of the office staff should help to prohibit. The poor intern is just there to learn his or her job and to overload them and expect them to walk a long distance is dangerous. Just put yourself in the intern's shoes. Then you will realize how selflsh things like overloading and using them can be.
• Opening a door - - believe this or not, can be a "death trap." Oh, stop laughing. Let's say that you are preoccupied and are dashing to get to an important meeting with the company C.E.O. on the top floor, but you do not stop before you open the door. Your oldest friend and coworker, "Dave," the godfather of your son, is on the other side of this door not knowing you are charging at it like a wild bull. Not only you, but good ol' "Dave," can end up with a broken nose, jaw, or chin. Stop for three seconds before opening any door. This is a good rule to follow.
• Piping-hot - - coffee is not as innocent as it appears. I know that you are a "he-man," and served your time in the Marine Corps., but a scalding-hot cup of coffee can take the very hide off of the roof of your mouth as well as strangle you into a possible cardiac arrest. If you are going to buy your coworkers a "friendly" cup of morning coffee to show them you appreciate them, advise them to take the lids off of the coffee first to allow it to become cool enough for consumption. The coworker's life (and mouth) you save, might be your own.
• Do you use - - those handy two-wheel carts in your office? You know. Those used by UPS drivers? Never, even if you do not mean it, offer to give any employee a ride as a gesture of clean fun. A number of things can go wrong. You could lose your grip and the employee ends up face or butt-first on a cold cement floor. Another employee who wants to be in on the fun might tickle you underneath your arms as you get near the stairs that go to the basement and guess who pays the price? Now your generous idea of giving a free ride doesn't seem as much fun does it?
• Make absolutely sure - - that all push pins are picked up from your work area. These little "instruments of pain," if stuck into a foot can cause a dangerous infection to an unassuming employee's foot. It's the little things that employees can do that can help to prevent such accidents.
• Note: stop being apathetic. Stop just "going through the motions" at your job. You can help your self-esteem by doing some serious thinking about the possible health hazards you see lurking around your office.

And "please," although I appreciate it, do not be reading "this" hub on your tablet while walking from the front of your office to your desk that is all the way to the back.

I do not want you to slip on your own empty coffee cups you have littering up your work area. I am not "made of money," and cannot pay for your lengthy hospital stay.