Workplace Safety Essentials

Title: Workplace Safety Essentials for Office Workers
Current Content:

Year Level

Adult Learners with High Complex Needs

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Duration

60 minutes | Class size 15 learners

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Learning Area

Other: Health and Safety in the Workplace (aligned with New Zealand Curriculum Refresh)

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Curriculum Links

• Health and Physical Education:
  • Understand how to maintain personal health and safety in office workplace contexts.
  • Participate actively in personal and community health and safety practices, including mental wellbeing.
• Key Competencies:
  • Managing Self – understanding and practising safe and healthy behaviours in office settings relevant to adults
  • Relating to Others – communicating hazard awareness, stress management, and emergency responses clearly and respectfully
  • Participating and Contributing – engaging responsibly with health, safety, and wellbeing routines in adult office environments
• Achievement Objectives:
  • Engage in practical activities that develop knowledge of hazards, ergonomics, stress management, and safe practices in office workplaces
  • Develop awareness of responsibilities related to workplace safety and holistic wellbeing as an adult office worker

References to curriculum competencies and objectives are guided by the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh and the Health and Physical Education resources.

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WALT (We Are Learning To):

• Identify common hazards in office workplaces, including ergonomic risks.
• Understand and practise safe work behaviours relevant to office settings, including posture and screen breaks.
• Recognise signs of stress and mental health concerns and learn simple strategies to manage them.
• Know emergency procedures relevant to office environments (e.g., fire evacuation, calling for help).
• Communicate workplace safety and wellbeing information clearly using accessible language.

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Success Criteria

• I can spot hazards in an office work environment.
• I can follow simple safe and healthy work practices, including good posture and taking breaks.
• I understand what to do in an emergency (fire, injury) in an office setting.
• I can recognise when I feel stressed and use simple ways to feel better.
• I can explain what I have learnt using pictures, words, or actions.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Use dyslexia-friendly texts: Clear fonts, short sentences, bullet points, and concrete vocabulary. Use audio-visual supports like videos and pictorial hazard and wellbeing cards.
• Provide multi-sensory approaches: Hands-on activities, role-play, and demonstrating safe office practices and stress-relief techniques.
• Break down instructions into small, explicit steps with visual cues and peer or adult support.
• Use sentence stems and visual word banks to support verbal and written expression.
• Allow alternative ways to show understanding: drawings/model making, oral explanations, or digital responses.
• Scaffold learning with prompts (e.g., “How can you sit safely at your desk?” with images).
• Include calming strategies and mindfulness exercises adapted for learners with complex needs.

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Resources/Materials

• Colourful printed hazard, ergonomic, and wellbeing signs/cards
• Office props or classroom equipment relevant to office workplaces (e.g., desks, chairs, computers, phones)
• Safety gear for role-play (e.g., wrist supports, glasses)
• Emergency procedure posters (fire exit diagrams, call emergency numbers)
• Dyslexia-friendly reading materials about office hazards, ergonomics, stress management, and safety protocols
• Whiteboard and markers
• Visual aids for mindfulness and stress-relief exercises (e.g., breathing technique cards)

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Lesson Outline

Time	Activity	Description	Learning Focus
0-10 min	Intro and WALT	Welcome, explain WALT and success criteria using simple language and visual aids. Relate to prior knowledge of safety and wellbeing in office workplaces.	Set purpose, activate prior knowledge
10-20 min	Discussion & Hazard Identification	Show pictures of office workplaces (e.g., desks, meeting rooms, break areas). Group activity: learners identify hazards and ergonomic risks using picture cards and label them.	Hazard and ergonomic risk recognition, vocabulary building
20-35 min	Practical Activity: Safe/Unsafe Office Practices	Set up scenarios with props showing safe and unsafe office behaviours (e.g., sitting posture, screen height, phone use). Learners walk around in small groups to identify correct and incorrect behaviours. Role-play correct responses like adjusting chairs, taking breaks, and stretching.	Practice safe and healthy office behaviours, peer learning
35-45 min	Emergency Procedures & Stress Management	Teach simple emergency steps (fire alarm, evacuation, calling 111) relevant to offices. Use role-play to rehearse. Introduce basic stress management techniques (deep breathing, short breaks). Use storyboards/pictorial guides.	Understanding emergency response, mental health awareness, communication skills
45-55 min	Group Quiz/Review Game	Use an interactive quiz (e.g., Kahoot-style or paper-based multiple-choice with images) focused on office hazards, ergonomics, stress management, and safety rules.	Reinforce knowledge, engagement
55-60 min	Reflection and Learning Check	Learners share or draw one thing they learnt today. Use sentence stems: "I learnt that...", "If I feel stressed at work I will...".	Self-assessment, metacognition

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Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

• Create a short safety and wellbeing poster or pamphlet for an office workplace using digital tools.
• Role-play safety officer and lead a hazard and ergonomics inspection of the classroom or a real office setting.
• Research the role of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 in New Zealand related to office environments and share a simple summary.
• Develop a personal plan for managing stress and maintaining wellbeing at work or home.

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Assessment

• Informal formative assessment through observation during practical activities and discussions.
• Use of visual records or verbal responses during reflection.
• Check for understanding against success criteria with supportive prompts.

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Notes for Teachers

• Use clear, explicit language and avoid jargon; explain new vocabulary repeatedly and in context.
• Give learners extra time and provide breaks as needed considering high complex needs.
• Use positive reinforcement consistently to keep engagement high.
• Encourage collaboration and peer support.
• Use assistive technologies where appropriate (e.g., text-to-speech apps).
• Include mindfulness and calming strategies to support mental wellbeing during the lesson.

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This lesson plan is designed to deliver core Health and Safety knowledge focused on office workplaces in an accessible way for adult learners with complex learning needs, tightly aligned with the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh principles of inclusivity, engagement, and practical learning. It aims to build confidence and foundational skills essential for future office workplace participation, personal wellbeing, and holistic health.