Office safety inspection checklist

Site: ______________________ Date: ____________ Checked by: ______________________

01Exits and fire

Escape routes clear. Exit doors open from inside without a key. WSH (GP) Regs, reg 38(1), (3)
Exit signs in place and visible. WSH (GP) Regs, reg 38(5)
Extinguishers in place, unblocked and checked this month. SCDF extinguisher guidance
Staff know the escape route, assembly point and fire routine. WSH (GP) Regs, reg 38(6)

02Floors and storage

Carpets and tiles flat. No curled mats. WSHC housekeeping guidelines, 5
No cables across walkways or trapped under furniture. HSE INDG236
Heavy files on low shelves. Tall cabinets stable or fixed to the wall. WSH (GP) Regs, reg 24
Drawers closed when not in use.
Step stool provided for high shelves. Nobody standing on chairs.

03Electrical

Leads and plugs free of damage and tape joints. HSE INDG236
No burn marks or staining on plugs, sockets or adaptors. HSE INDG236
No power strips plugged into other power strips. No overloaded sockets.
Kettles, heaters and other appliances kept away from water and paper.

04Workstations

Screen top at eye level, about an arm's length away. HSE display screen guidance
Chair set to support the thighs and lower back. HSE display screen guidance
Keyboard just below elbow height. Mouse in line with the elbow. HSE display screen guidance
Lighting good enough to work by, without glare on screens. WSH (GP) Regs, reg 6

05Health and welfare

First-aid box stocked, marked and in the charge of a named person. First-Aid Regs, reg 4
Toilets clean, lit and working. WSH (GP) Regs, reg 8
Rooms ventilated. No stuffy or overcrowded rooms. WSH (GP) Regs, regs 4, 5

Legal requirement

Offices are workplaces under Singapore's WSH Act. The WSH (General Provisions) Regulations require clear means of escape, exit doors that open from inside, marked exits, adequate lighting and ventilation, no overcrowding, clean toilets and stable storage. The First-Aid Regulations require enough first-aid boxes, kept stocked and under a named person's charge.

This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Laws and codes of practice change; always check the current official text and your site's own procedures.

Office safety inspection checklist

01Exits and fire

02Floors and storage

03Electrical

04Workstations

05Health and welfare

Sources and further reading

Related reading

Cleaning and facilities safety: what supervisors need to know

Shipyard safety: an overview for supervisors

Food and beverage kitchen safety: what supervisors need to know