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I think we're all agreed – the annual holiday office party is a hoot! Free food,
free alcohol, free speech! A chance to kick back and let go. And therein lies the
problem. It’s very easy, almost tempting, for some people to take the casualness
of the affair a little too far. Usually with no prize given for guessing who it
will be.
But it’s a company affair and all the regular safety regulations – and liabilities
– apply. So watch out, for goodness sake! Here are 10 Golden Rules to help you keep
your company, and maybe even yourself, out of trouble at this year’s holiday office
party.
- Don't drink!
OK – that’s just being ridiculous. However, the majority of office party injuries
are alcohol related. (Who’d have thunk it?) So have an alcohol consumption policy
in place. Have someone who has undertaken training in responsible serving of alcohol
in charge of the drinks – or, better yet, hire a professional. Also make sure you
have plenty of water and soft-drink options available. Stop serving drinks an hour
before the party ends.
- Assign a Safety Monitor (the poor sap!)
But reward them handsomely for the privilege – because boy are they going to hate
you for asking them. Make sure you choose someone who is aware of safety policies
and can correctly recognise and asses an unsafe situation
- Assess the venue for risk
Padded cells are best and provide a great excuse for a theme-oriented event. Failing
that, make sure you hold your event in an area of your site that is away from machinery,
unlevel surfaces, etc or at a venue specifically set up for catering to the type
of event you are conducting.
- Feed the Animals
Alcohol on an empty stomach is dangerous. The affects of alcohol can come on very
quickly without food. So bring out the grub first and avoid salty foods as much
as possible as they tend to speed up consumption of beverages.
- Entertain the masses
Providing entertainment is a great way to distract people from drinking as much
and from getting up to no good! A live band or DJ will help keep people active and
in one place. However, beware the karaoke machine! A lot of people require additional
fortification before they are willing to butcher Piano Man or Tainted Love in front
of their co-workers.
- Know your troublemakers
It's really not that hard! There are going to be just a few people (unless you’re
a rugby team) who take partying that extra step too-far – and everybody knows who
they are, except perhaps them. You don't need to approach them directly, unless
you feel very comfortable in doing so, but make sure you and your designated safety
monitors are aware of who they are. It's a good idea to spend some time with them
throughout the night. But make sure you treat them with respect and dignity – they
deserve to have fun as much as anyone.
- Make it a Friday
Think about it! Do you really want your Machine Operators or Forklift Drivers feeling
anything less than perky when they come back to work? Holding your event on an evening
that requires staff to show up the following day is fraught with troubles – as well
as mumbled abuse and cryptic emails between your staff.
- Where’s the Fire Extinguisher!?
Plan ahead! Especially if you are holding your event on-site. Plan for accidents.
Know where the first-aid kit is. Make sure your appointed Safety Monitor is trained
in first aid. Test the fire extinguisher. No candles!
- Set-up smart
If you’re setting up the party – keep in mind that all workplace safety policies
apply. So bend those knees! Use that stepladder! Don’t hang that tinsel so close
to the light fixture! Secure that Christmas tree! Put away those tools. You should
also consider paper plates and cups, as well as plastic cutlery. Yes, the Earth
will hate you, but it won’t take you to court if it cuts its self on broken glass!
- For the love of God, don’t let anyone drink and drive!
This golden rule is thought about a lot more than it’s acted upon. Do whatever you
have to do to make sure no one gets behind the wheel while intoxicated. Expenses
be damned! Here are a few proactive steps you can take:
-
Appoint designated drivers (and monitor them)
-
Encourage people to take taxis to and from the party. Provide taxi fare or offer
to pay receipts (this offer should include fare to pick up their car the next day
in necessary)
- Rent a breathalyser and use it on all guests, even if they say their “fine”
- Tie them to a pole (Please don’t tie them to a pole!)
- This Top 10 list goes to 11!
There's always one more point worth making. Provide your staff with a quick quiz
on Office Party Safety? It's a good way to make them aware of what to look out for
– and for you to be proactive about safety. Clients of Rapid Induct will be able
to do this quickly and easily by simply creating a short online course. If you don't
have a self editable online induction or training program (get one!), you can do
it the old fashioned way by creating a booklet or pamphlet, or by holding a brief
seminar. Either way, by making your employees aware beforehand, you're more likely
to reduce office party accidents.
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