Working Safely From Home

When workers undertake working from home arrangements, their workspace within their home becomes an extension of the workplace. Therefore it is essential that employers do all that is reasonable to minimise risks at a worker’s home. What an employer can do to minimise risks at a worker's home will be different to what they can do at the usual workplace.

Checklists and support

WorkSafe ACT have developed the following risk assessment checklist and home work station checklist (PDF 1161KB)
This will support you in identifying risks within worker’s workspace at home along with ensuring your workers health and safety needs are met.

Employers should also:

  • provide guidance on what is a safe home office environment, including what a good work station set up looks like and how to keep physically active
  • require workers to familiarise themselves and comply with good ergonomic practices, for example by referring workers to a self-assessment checklist
  • maintain daily communication with workers
  • provide continued access to an employee assistance program and encourage workers to access it, and
  • appoint a contact person in the business that workers can talk to about any concerns.

Policies and procedures

Policies and procedures currently in place may no longer be adequate in meeting work from home needs. You should also think about how your existing policies and procedures apply when working from home, including:

  • notification of incidents, injuries hazards and changes in circumstances
  • consultation and review of work health and safety processes, and
  • attendance, timesheets, leave and other entitlements and arrangements.

Identifying possible new risks

Working from home may change, increase or create work health or safety risks. To understand these risks, you must consult with your workers and their representatives.

Possible new risks may arise from:

  • physical hazards from poor work environment, such as workstation set up, heat, cold, lighting, electrical safety, home hygiene and home renovations, and
  • psychosocial hazards such as isolation, high or low job demands, reduced social support from managers and colleagues, fatigue, online harassment and family and domestic violence.

You will still need to do what you reasonably can to manage the risks to a worker who works from home.

Resources and guidance

You can refer to the following websites for additional information and resources.

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