Product Overview

This Office Equipment Filing and Archive Safety SWMS is a site-ready Safe Work Method Statement designed to identify hazards and implement controls for office-based filing, archiving and equipment use. It is a comprehensive document that covers multiple aspects of office safety, helping your business demonstrate robust WHS compliance for administrative and archive-related work.

Activities & Specific Tasks Covered

This document includes specific risk controls for:

• Accessing archives or storage areas with congested files, including safe entry, egress and housekeeping requirements
• Managing archive storage systems to prevent overloading shelves, toppling items and blocked access ways
• Safe use of paper guillotines, including blade guarding, hand positioning and isolation when not in use
• Operation of photocopiers and multi-function devices, including electrical safety, jam clearing and ergonomic setup
• Working inside server rooms, including temperature, noise, trip hazards, cable management and restricted access controls
• Manual handling of archive boxes, folders and bulk paper, with controls for lifting, carrying and use of trolleys
• Use of step ladders and access equipment to reach high shelves in filing rooms and storage areas
• Management of fire and emergency egress in file rooms, compactus units and congested storage areas
• Control of dust, paper debris and slip hazards in filing and archive environments
• Electrical safety for office equipment, including inspection of cords, power boards and avoidance of overloading outlets
• Noise and heat exposure from photocopiers, printers and server racks in confined office spaces
• Housekeeping practices to minimise trip hazards from cables, boxes, files and packaging materials
• General office ergonomics when filing, sorting and processing documents for extended periods

Who is this for?

This SWMS is designed for office administrators, records and archive staff, IT personnel, facilities managers and site supervisors responsible for office-based storage, filing and server room activities.

Specific Job Steps & Hazards Covered

Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

• Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks – Principles for identifying hazards, assessing risks and implementing controls in office and archive environments
• Code of Practice: Managing the Work Environment and Facilities – Requirements for safe access, egress, lighting, ventilation and amenities in offices, server rooms and storage areas
• Code of Practice: Hazardous Manual Tasks – Guidance on managing risks from lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling archive boxes, files and paper stock
• Code of Practice: Managing Electrical Risks in the Workplace – Controls for safe use of photocopiers, servers and other powered office equipment
• AS/NZS 3760 In-service safety inspection and testing of electrical equipment – Guidance for inspection and testing of portable office electrical equipment and cords
• AS 1657 Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders – Relevant to safe access to elevated storage and use of fixed access systems where provided
• Work Health and Safety Act 2011
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017