There’s been a few articles in the media lately about employers being open to allowing employees to work from home, such as recent trials conducted by Bankwest in Western Australia.

But what are the employers responsibilities to employees who work from home?

Employer’s responsibilities include:
• Conducting an audit of the home to identify any safety risks. Establish what, if any, equipment will be necessary for an employee to safely undertake home-based work (for example, is there a suitable desk, chair and computer).
• Ensure the employee has access to emergency equipment such as first aid kits and fire blankets.
• Ensure that the proposed working environment is healthy and safe. eg, if there is sufficient lighting, emergency exits from the work area are clear, there is a smoke detector and/or an earth leakage protection device installed; and power points are used safely.

Employees working from home might be expected to have heightened responsibility for their own safety, but employers still need to comply with their legislative responsibilities.

Do you require a workplace/home office risk assessment or safety audit? Contact HealthForce Group to see how we can assist you.