Welcome to Microsoft Global Occupational Health and Safety
Our mission
Health and safety are core aspects of Microsoft culture, helping us fulfill our mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. To help all of us achieve more, the Microsoft Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) team has designed and implemented a health and safety management system to enhance the health and safety of the extended Microsoft team around the world.
At Microsoft, we seek to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more—and one way we do that is by ensuring the health and safety of our employees and communities. We realize our commitment to health and safety through our investment in injury and illness prevention, hazard elimination, and risk reduction, all of which help provide an environment where our employees can thrive.
Microsoft's commitment
Microsoft has developed and implemented a health and safety management system to provide a safe and healthy work environment that meets or exceeds all applicable laws and regulations. We evaluate the effectiveness of this system with periodic audits and assessments; these are reviewed with management via the OHS Council and through employee safety committees and representatives.
Safety is everyone's responsibility
To foster a culture of health and safety at Microsoft, employees, interns, and external staff (where applicable) must:
- Comply with all applicable health and safety laws, regulations, and Microsoft procedures associated with their employment and assignments.
- Complete required health and safety training.
- Report any work-related injuries, illnesses, incidents, and unsafe conditions they observe. If the problem can't be resolved quickly, employees should inform their manager and do what they can to identify and address the hazard. This will help ensure others aren't injured until it's formally resolved.
- Share applicable Microsoft health and safety protocols and procedures with suppliers and external staff doing work on behalf of Microsoft.
All employees and interns have the right to stop work if they believe conditions are unsafe or could pose a risk to the health or safety of themselves or others.
Microsoft OHS staff will implement Occupational Health and Safety program elements provided by Global OHS team. Any variation of a global OHS program needed to comply with local legal requirements must be evaluated and approved through the OHS Governance Framework before implementation.
Microsoft Suppliers must also maintain their own health and safety programs consistent with the Microsoft Supplier Code of Conduct, including setting health and safety standards, processes, and procedures for Microsoft external staff and subcontractors who provide services to Microsoft, to the extent permitted by law.
The Microsoft OHS Council will review the OHS Policy annually to ensure its relevance and effectiveness.
Read the full OHS Policy to learn more.
Safety committees
Safety and health committees (sometimes called "safety committees") are a key element in working cooperatively with occupational health and safety teams, employers, workers, and other business stakeholders to seek collective wellbeing.Safety and Health Committee is a group of people working to improve health and safety in our workplace, creating a balance between our work and our work environment. Their functions are:
- Investigate the causes of work-related accidents and illnesses of personnel.
- Propose measures to prevent and minimize them.
- Follow up on the proposed measures and ensure that they are implemented within the organization.
If an employee or external staff member is interested in joining the safety committee for their country or facility, they can contact Global OHS and we will forward their information to the appropriate safety committee representative for follow-up.
Safety managers
Occupational Health and Safety managers are our on-site experts charged with protecting Microsoft's people from harm. Through regular site inspections, they analyze and address physical and environmental threats and work to resolve them. OHS Managers work with leadership, safety and health committees, and employee work teams to help ensure health and safety programs are implemented in the workplace.
Regulations
Globally, the Microsoft Global Occupational Health and Safety Team provides guidance on policies, regulations, and resources relating to occupational health and safety. We strive to provide employees with the best guidance that will keep them safe. Local OHS Managers and site leadership are responsible to ensure compliance with all applicable legal requirements. For information on policies, regulations, and resources specific to a country or region, access the country’s page using the OHS locations tab above.
Get in touch
For any health and safety questions or concerns, reach out to Global OHS.
Messages related to a specific location will be routed to local OHS staff.
Log in to contact the designated OHS business partner for certain business groups within Microsoft.
OHS Management System
The OHS Management System (OHSMS) enhances the health and safety of Microsoft's extended team. The OHSMS reflects Microsoft's organizational structure, technological environment, and commitment to innovation. It is designed to adapt to evolving legal requirements, stakeholder expectations, and emerging health and safety risks.
Learn about the OHSMS and what’s included in it.
Hazards by workspace
At Microsoft, employees may encounter different hazards depending on where they work. Here are a couple of the potential hazards to be aware of based on workspace.
Log in to learn more about workspace hazards at Microsoft.
OHS Council
As part of Microsoft's deep commitment to employee health and safety, the OHS Council regularly brings together leaders from business groups across Microsoft to:
- Inform senior leaders about the impact of OHS initiatives.
- Guide implementation of OHS programs across the company.
- Remove roadblocks to OHS program implementation.
- Gather and consider business group perspectives.
Employees wanting to learn more about the OHS Council should contact Global OHS.
Safety for visitors
Microsoft devotes many resources to protect what it values most—its people, data, and assets. But secured doors, card readers, access policies, and security personnel are only as effective as the people who use them.
Each office has visitor access procedures:
- All visitors must be met by an actively employed Microsoft employee or external staff at the main reception area or main lobby.
- At some locations, visitors must present valid photo identification when they sign in.
- Visitors should receive and display a visitor pass that clearly shows the expiration date.
- Visitors must be escorted at all times while in secured areas.
- After-hours and weekend visitors should be approved by the employee's manager, and Global Security should be informed.
- "No Escort" visitor passes may be issued to employees who have forgotten their access card that day.
Visitors include:
Personal guests, including family members and children.
Class attendees.
Survey or test group subjects.
Conference guests.
Consultants.
Note: Make no exceptions for services. Employees should personally meet caterers, couriers, food deliveries, and floral and gift deliveries in the lobby.
Safety for external staff
Supervision of external staff by supplier managers or supervisors
In situations where specific work is outsourced to a supplier and the supplier's employees receive day-to-day supervision from managers or supervisors employed by the supplier, the supplier company is expected—and contractually required—to assume primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with workplace health and safety laws.
For example, the supplier assumes responsibility for:
- Providing safety equipment.
- Providing appropriate safety training.
- Monitoring workers to ensure they are following workplace safety requirements and health laws.
Although suppliers have primary responsibility for compliance, Microsoft provides information and support as required by applicable law. These may include providing confined-space assessments, sharing information about Microsoft safety and health programs, coordinating with a supplier for lockout/tagout procedures, and coordinating with a supplier for emergency planning and response.
For more information on external staff safety, visit the Microsoft Supplier Code of Conduct.