Your guide to workplace health and safety during Halloween

With Halloween just around the corner, it’s time to start carving your pumpkins, polishing off those fake vampire teeth and adorning your desk with spider webs.

A Halloween celebration in the offices is a great way to boost morale, teamwork and show off your decorating skills. But what’s even scarier than a decapitated zombie rising from the grave? A workplace hazard, of course!

Below, we’ve outlined some tips to help you keep your spooky skeleton bones unbroken. Remember, not taking WHS seriously can have grave consequences.

A tomb with a view

The easiest way to get your workplace involved in Halloween is a cubicle decoration competition! Employees can work together to make their pods the creepiest in the building.

Be careful though – a messy and cluttered office space is a straight ticket to slips, trips and crypts.

• Be mindful of trip hazards – keep those scarecrows and broomsticks out of pathways
• Watch out for spooks at eye level – cobwebs can’t just get in people’s hair, they can also irritate eyes and obscure visibility
• Back strain is a killer – make sure you’re using proper lifting techniques when moving gravestones around
• Avoid sharp, poisonous or slippery materials in your design.

Also consider the feelings of your co-workers – some people don’t enjoy the spooky festivities as much as you. Make sure you keep your celebrations optional and inoffensive.

Exhume the costume

Dressing up as your favourite spooky character from film or TV is a great opportunity to be creative – don’t be a basic witch!

When picking your costume, just like decorating, make sure you don’t create a trip hazard. Try to avoid:

• Long trails of fabric
• Vision-inhibiting masks
• Pointy things sticking out of clothing
• Axes, swords and other weapons!

Remember – an unsafe costume can be as dangerous as driving while hexing. You don’t want to end up as a hobbling goblin.

Afterlife of the party

Taking your Halloween celebration to the next level with an office party? Like any bash, make sure you keep the balance of fun and safety, especially when alcohol is involved.

• You might use food dye to colour that cake blood red – just make sure you read the ingredients and are aware of dietary requirements!
• Unhealthy food is the most insidious killer of them all – make sure you offer healthy snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. Vampires should especially avoid tooth decay.
• Keep it appropriate – no one likes a rude zombie. Make sure all alcohol at the party is being served legally and responsibly.

By following these tips, you can make sure your Halloween celebrations are safe, fun, and above all, spooky!

Show off your safety! Send photos of your extra safe office Halloween setup. If you’ve got it, haunt it!