Guidelines for Safe Working from Home

Working from home can provide a flexible alternative for staff of GriffithUniversity, however the University does not require any person to work from home. Working from home is a temporary arrangement agreed at a local level between the staff member and element management.

The terms and conditions of employment that apply in the staff member’s workplace also apply when they work from home. When a request to work from home is received the supervisor/manager will consider individual circumstances, however the requirements of the element will always take priority.

When a working from home arrangement is agreed, the element must provide equipment and tools appropriate to perform the tasks required. This does not include workstation furniture.

REQUIREMENTS

In accordance with the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 and Griffith University Health and Safety Policy it is important that:

  • the home office is a safe area to work
  • systems of work undertaken in the home office are safe
  • staff working from home are provided with appropriate training to enable them to perform their work safely and
  • all incidents are investigated and hazards are adequately controlled

Staff responsibilities

A staff member who works from home must:

  • adhere to the University’s policies and procedures
  • make arrangements to ensure they are contactable by peers and supervisor/manager for work related issues
  • report as requested to their supervisor/manager
  • have a suitable work area to perform work tasks safely and ensure confidentiality of work related issues
  • complete a Working from Home Workstation Self-Assessment Checklist to ensure their home work area is safe, and provide to their manager/supervisor
  • implement any adjustments necessary to the work area on the basis of the Checklist, as agreed with their manager/supervisor
  • monitor health and safety risks within the home work area
  • report any hazards, incident or illness to their supervisor as soon as practicable

Training

As a minimum, all staff working from home must have completed the Basic Workplace Health and Safety On-line training and the Office Ergonomics accessed from the Health & Safely at Griffith web page. This should be confirmed by a supervisor prior to approval to work from home.

Working from Home Checklist

The Working from Home Self-Assessment Checklist (refer to Attachment A) should be completed prior to commencement of work from home. This checklist details workstation furniture and equipment set up, provides further details on environmental and general safety issues and good work practices. The following provides guidance on how to meet the requirements of the Checklist.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WORKING SAFELY FROM HOME

Electrical Safety

Home office electrical items must be in good repair. Cords must not be frayed, equipment should be in good working order and items should be monitored regularly for wear and tear. Heating devices can easily become a fire hazard, therefore it is recommended that bar heaters are not used in the home office. Power and extension leads can also become a trip hazard – make sure all power leads are adequately managed, eg neatly kept under the desk or taped down if they cross a walkway or access path.

Piggy-back plugs and double adaptors are prohibited in the work place and must not be used in a home office. A powerboard with individual switches is the preferred alternative. It is important that you ensure you do not overload electrical sockets. All extension leads and power boards must be in good repair. A home safety switch (Residual Current Device) should be installed in your home to reduce the risk of electric shock or electrocution.

First Aid and Emergency

It is your responsibility to ensure you are able to access appropriate emergency care when working from home. If you are home alone you should have a contingency plan for contacting help in an emergency. That is, have emergency services on speed dial, inform your family of your activities and be able to access minimum first aid supplies to dress a wound, for example, until further help arrives. It is also important that you have your own emergency evacuation plan (this does not need to be documented) to ensure you can exit your home office safely in an emergency situation. Exits should not be obstructed and if possible at least two exit options from the home should be available. Visit the Qld Fire & Rescue Service website for further guidance.

Workstation Arrangements

Your workstation should provide adequate comfort and support for your daily activities. Along with all the issues covered in the Working from Home Self Assessment checklist (refer to Attachment A), you should avoid working directly from a lap top in your home office. Prolonged use of a lap top without a separate keyboard and monitor may result in neck/shoulder/arm muscle soreness and soft tissue injury. You should always connect an external keyboard and mouse, and either use a stand to raise the screen to eye level or connect to a separate monitor. Follow instructions as per the Working from Home Self Assessment Checklist to set up your computer equipment adequately.

Environment

It is important to ensure your home office is comfortable. To do this you will need to have adequate temperature control. Do not work in an area that is too cold/hot, has poor ventilation or excessive disruption from external noises. Good lighting is also important, you will need to consider the amount and type of light sources available and ensure they are adequate (not too bright or dull) to perform your work safely. If these conditions are not within your control in your home office, it is not recommended as a suitable place for you to work.

Space

The availability of space is important for an adequate home office. You should have enough room to safely store all required documents, texts, equipment etc. There should be enough work surface for you to perform all the necessary tasks (keying, writing, reading) that you will undertake and you should be able to comfortably manoeuvre around the home office.

Adequate space is important to ensure you are able to follow proper manual handling techniques. For example, store frequently used items close to you, store heavy items at waist height and have enough room to bend as necessary to move items, avoiding twisting. For further information on proper manual handling techniques see the Health & Safely at Griffith web page.

‌

G:\hrm\HRM-ALL\01.STRATEGIC SERVICES\HEALTH & SAFETY\H&S TASKFORCE 08-10\Communication & website\Branding & Marketing\Griffith Safe & Well Templates\Template 3 - Portrait A4.doc

Page 1 of 5

Self-Assessment Checklist for the Home Office

Use this checklist to help make the correct adjustments to the equipment and furniture at your workstation. If you are unable to make suggested adjustments alone, please seek advice your element Health & Safety specialist.

Date of self-evaluation:

Chair & Posture /

Instructions

/ Complete / Need further assistance
Chair / Check how the mechanisms on your chair work so you can adjust it to suit you and your workstation. If you do not have an adjustable chair, use cushions to assist with comfort. It is highly recommended that you have an appropriately adjustable task chair for any prolonged computer use.
Seat height / Adjust seat height so arms/wrists are parallel with your keyboard with your shoulders in a relaxed position.
Then check that your feet are flat on the floor, knees are bent at right angles and thighs are parallel to the floor or tilted slightly forward. Use a footrest if necessary to achieve this posture.
Backrest / Adjust backrest (vertically) so it supports the lumbar curve of the lower back.
Adjust backrest (horizontally) so there is a couple of fingers’ space between the front edge of seat and the backs of your knees.
Seat tilt
(if applicable) / Adjust seat tilt so that your hips and the tops of your thighs are at right angles (or slightly greater). Not all chairs have a tilt adjustment - this is OK as long as you can maintain an open angle between your thighs and hips.
Armrest position / Armrests are not recommended for keyboard work but may provide support during other activities (eg. telephone use, meetings, etc.).
If there are armrests on the chair and they interfere with access to the desk you should arrange for their removal if possible.
Sitting posture / An upright or slightly reclined posture is recommended – ensure the backrest supports your lower back.
Desk, keyboard & mouse / Instructions / Complete / Need further assistance
Keyboard height
(if applicable) / Adjust keyboard height so arms and forearms are at right angles or slightly greater, and the forearms, wrists and hands are in a relaxed posture.
For a fixed height work surface you will need to adjust the chair height to ensure appropriate arm position in relation to the keyboard and you may need a footrest.
Leg clearance at workstation / Space under the desk should be sufficient to allow free leg movement without obstruction. Depth should allow a proper sitting position while giving foot/knee clearance.
Keyboard-to-user distance / Keyboard-to-user distance should allow you to relax your shoulders with elbows close to your body with arms and forearms in a relaxed posture.
Keyboard slope / Position keyboard flat or only slightly sloped to avoid a cocked wrist position.
Keyboarding posture / Keep wrists in line with forearm. Avoid supporting your wrists on the hard desk surface while typing.
Mouse / Position mouse close to and preferably on the same level as the keyboard. Avoid holding elbow away from body or holding wrist at an angle to use mouse.
(if keyboard shelf is too small for this, find a comfortable alternative.)
Monitor / Instructions / Complete / Need further assistance
Monitor height / Adjust monitor height so top of screen is at or slightly lower than eye level.
Screen-to-user distance / Viewing distance is approximately an arm’s length away.
Monitor alignment with user / Monitor and keyboard should be placed directly in front of user. Avoid twisted postures.
Visual comfort of screen / Monitor should be positioned to avoid glare (ideally, at a right angle to the window/ strong light source)
Characters on the screen should be clear, have no flicker and be of suitable size.
Work practices / Instructions / Complete / Need further assistance
Placement of frequently used items / Keep frequently used items (eg telephone, books, stationery) close at hand so that you can reach these items without stretching.
Micro breaks / When using your mouse/keyboard repetitively remember to take micro breaks. This may be a short pause to relax hand postures, look away from the computer or stand and stretch your legs.
Work practices
(continued) / Instructions / Complete / Need further assistance
Workstation Stretches / Stretch your body to reverse your posture, allowing muscles to relax. See Workstation Stretches.
Alternate tasks / Break up long periods of continuous computer use by performing other tasks which use different muscle groups eg filing/organising, stand to make a phone call. Household duties should not be performed during agreed work hours.
Document holder / Use a document holder if working from other documents regularly. Position close to screen to avoid neck twisting/flexion.
Telephone Use / Avoid tilting head/neck to cradle the telephone. Use your hand to hold the receiver, or if necessary at times use a hands free speaker (if available). If you are right handed it is often better to hold the phone in your left hand so you can take notes with your right.
Spectacle Use / If you require spectacles, single strength lenses are recommended. Bifocals or graduated lenses are usually not suitable for computer use. This can be dependent on the user. Spectacles for computer use should be discussed with your optometrist.

G:\hrm\HRM-ALL\01.STRATEGIC SERVICES\HEALTH & SAFETY\H&S TASKFORCE 08-10\Communication & website\Branding & Marketing\Griffith Safe & Well Templates\Template 3 - Portrait A4.doc

Page 1 of 5