Since the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home has become the norm. While Australian businesses staggered the return to work, some workers and some businesses still prefer the working-from-home model.

Do you know, employers are responsible for the health and safety of workers working from home?  They must take steps to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of their workers health and safety working from home.

There are risks associated with poor workstation setup. There are hazards in the home that may not normally be present in an office as well as poor lighting. Workstations need to be set up in an ergonomic manner so as not to cause any back, neck, arm or hand injuries. 

Isolation and overwork from not having a clear home and work boundaries established can also be a serious situation if left unmanaged. 

In short, if not correctly set up, Mental Health and physical injury can come from working from home and cause absenteeism and disruption to the business and even long-term work care claims.

Here are some tips found from Comcare – www.comcare.gov.au

• Ensure the worker has a safe workspace in the home with a designated work area, comfortable and hazard-free access with adequate lighting and ventilation.
• Stay connected and support your worker. Create an effective communication structure with regular check-ins – both team and individual catch-ups.
• Ensure the worker has a defined workspace from home life to avoid distractions and a space that allows the staff member to follow routines.
• Monitor absenteeism and incident reports and patterns.
• Set clear work expectations as you would in the workplace.

Please call me for a FREE, no-obligation consultation to determine whether you need a little help with home Workstation Assessments, Risk Management, Policies and Procedures and all things Work Safety.