The Risks of Work from Home Setup

One of the most significant factors impacting work health and safety when working from home is prolonged sitting. The past 18 months has seen an increase in desk-based workplaces transitioning to, or increasing existing, working from home arrangements to minimise the risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. Workplaces across the country have had to adapt their policies and procedures and consult with workers to ensure Work health safety requirements are met even if workers are at home.

Employers must eliminate or minimise risks to the health and safety of their workers, so far as is reasonably practicable. While they have less control over a worker’s home, they must still consult with workers and HSRs and take steps to reduce work health and safety risks of workstations as much as possible (with available and suitable solutions)

To minimise the risk of a worker sustaining a musculoskeletal injury while working from home, you could:

  • organise a virtual workstation assessment

  • have ongoing discussion with your workers about their workstation setup

  • provide a health and safety check list when working from home for your workers to use

  • provide a workstation self-assessment checklist and health and safety check list for your workers to follow

  • provide your workers with information on setting up an ergonomic workstation, and

  • allow workers to borrow equipment, such as chairs, monitors, keyboards and mouses, from the office or reimburse them reasonable costs for purchasing any required equipment, and

  • monitor to ensure the workstation set up is not creating additional risks and the need for any additional equipment.

 Needing advice and help?

AB Phillips’ People Matters Advice can advise and provide consultations on risk minimization and other OH&S matters, ensuring you and your staff are collectively minimizing the risk of injury or incident.

For support and assistance, please contact our team of advisors at AB Phillips, Monday to Friday between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm AEST by phone on 1300 208 828 or email advice@abphillips.com.au

Safety and Wellbeing, Workers CompensationGuest User