Home based work
Hi folks
We have a number of staff who work from home in the ACT (and other states and territories). We have received numerous and conflicting informations concerning whether this constitutes a home based office or not and the various safety regs that apply.
In particular we are concerned with the regulatory requirements for smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, power loadings etc
Any links to relevant sites would be appreciated and ideas on other considerations that may apply to home based office work in the ACT.
We have a number of staff who work from home in the ACT (and other states and territories). We have received numerous and conflicting informations concerning whether this constitutes a home based office or not and the various safety regs that apply.
In particular we are concerned with the regulatory requirements for smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, power loadings etc
Any links to relevant sites would be appreciated and ideas on other considerations that may apply to home based office work in the ACT.
Tags: ACT, Based, Home, office, work
Views: 9
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Barbara Langhorn on -
Yes, all the Commmonwealth Act and Reg apply.
When I was in the Commonwealth PS (over 6 yrs ago) we debated this topic at length.
Guidelines were issued, I believe by Comcare???
Basically the home work environment needs to be assessed for risks and those risks controlled as per normal workplace practice under your act and reg. From memory this should not be too difficult - he major sticking points for anyone who lives in a halfway decent house will be:
- separating the "workplace" from the home - when are you not in the workplace when at home? When you go to answer the door to a friend? when you go to the loo or make a cup of tea? Strict record keeping of actual timeframes worked may assist.
- work environment - does it meet the standard normally applying in your office - lighting, air quality, heating/cooling, noise, amenites, security etc.
- ergonomic set up - desk height, layout, suitable chair, computer etc.
- a dedicated home office set up properly will help meet obligations.
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Permalink Reply by Kevin Jones on -
Steve & Barbara
I think the debate has moved on considerably since the home-based work/teleworking issue appeared over ten years ago. Much of the original work tasks related to having a computer at home and logging into the corporate network. The increase in portable computers now can allow for people to be working anywhere. Workers can now truly take their work(place) with them wherever they want.
Of course, this only relates to computer-based work. If the work can only be done at home then this is home-based work and Steve's concerns are justified. If the work is computer-based then this is teleworking and the OHS concerns can often be addressed by considering the worker operating in a "workplace bubble" where the workplace is wherever the worker works.
Kevin Jones
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Permalink Reply by Barbara Langhorn on
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Mobile, multi-locational work and teleworking (such as I do from time to time) are distinctly different from working from home.
This is usually the situation where an employee takes work that would normally be office based, into their home and uses only their home as an alternate workplace. I believe the employer has a duty of care in these circumstances. Working from home arrangements are becoming more prevalent, it is probably something that needs to be discussed again, in the light of the added flexibility that technological change has made possible.
I for one would like to be writing all my reports from a pleasant cafe with water views, wifi connected, while I down an iced coffee (I wish! ;) )
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