Accidents can occur anywhere and are an unfortunate yet inevitable consequence of life, however, the law provides that steps must be taken by employers (and, to a lesser extent, employees) to reduce the risk ofworkplace accidents.

Of course, some workplaces are inherently more dangerous than others, so the risks affecting an average office environment will be significantly different from those of a construction site.

Nevertheless, employers must ensure that the workplace is a relatively safe place for employees, who can claim workplace accident compensation if injured as a result of somebody else's negligence. Accordingly, an employer must be able to identify the most obvious risks associated with his particular workplace, which is made easier by reviewing the most common accidents to occur in such an environment.

In office environments, the most commonworkplace accidentsinclude trips, slips and falls. An employer can reduce the risk of an employee suffering any such accident, which may result in a claim for workplace accident compensation , by ensuring that floor spaces are kept clear, liquids are confined to kitchen or dining areas and equipment and stock are maintained securely (e.g. boxes of paper ought not to be stacked in such a way or place that could likely cause injury to a person if they were to fall).

Employers can also preventworkplace accidentsby making sure that flooring is level, sturdy and well-maintained. Many accidents that occur in office environments also involve faulty chairs or poorly set-up workstations, whilst RSI (repetitive strain injuries) can be avoided by ensuring that employees take regular breaks away from their desks.