To help all businesses minimise the risks involved with employees working from home, SURVIVAL has designed a suite of easy-to-understand graphics to ensure you have all your bases covered.
COMPLIANCE
When working from home, businesses must continue to ensure compliance with:
- The National Construction Code (NCC);
- Safe Work Australia
- Your local council, for use of the space;
- All fire safety requirements.
Data Security
When working from home, businesses must continue to ensure:
- That your data and your client’s data are secure, and if you are keeping sensitive records on-site, you give detail on how these will be secured.
- Cloud storage security.
- The privacy of personal information of employees.
- IP/cyber security.
Personal Safety
When working from home, businesses must also continue to ensure:
- Trip hazards are identified and where possible, removed to avoid slips, trips and falls.
- Handrails exist where necessary.
- Glass is safe.
- Electrical and hot water elements do not present danger.
- Fire safety is ensured via fitting of appropriate smoke alarms.
- There is no fall risk from windows or balconies.
- Access and exit points are not inhabited by lever hardware on doors or deadlocks on doors, gates or other access points.
Functionality
When working from home, businesses must continue to ensure:
- Ample working space for a desk and chair
- Access to toilet facilities
- Reasonable amenities for lunch, with no working setup allowed in or near lunchroom or food facilities
- Access to equipment and any business resources needed to work efficiently, with key items used within reach; and
- Adequate storage
When working from home, businesses must continue to ensure:
- Workspaces meet all ergonomic considerations, i.e. they are designed for efficiency and comfort in the working environment.
- A comfortable temperature and fan or ventilation to encourage air movement.
- Natural light is maximised while reducing glare with curtains or blinds.
- Desk setups enable the mouse and keyboard to be 8-10cm from the front of the desk.
When working from home, businesses must continue to ensure:
- Maintain motion and rhythm by completing 20-30% of tasks standing up.
- Take short breaks to rest eyes from screens for 30-minute periods.
- Select comfortable clothing and footwear.
- Avoid spine curvature, work with arms straight (monitor should be at arm’s length), elbows by sides, wrists level, thighs and calves at right angles (when sitting), and eyes in line with top of your monitor.
A Positive and Personal Space
When working from home, employees must continue to ensure:
- The individual workspace reflects your unique personality and style of work.
- They display qualifications if necessary.
- They take advantage of external views, natural light, ventilation, and artwork.
- They create a positive and personalised working environment.
Tip: If no natural view is available, create a positive atmosphere with happy and calming images, such as a mood board or visual wall.
For more mental health resources to support you when working from home, visit headtohealth.gov.au
MORE WORKING FROM HOME RESOURCES
working from home safely
Find out more.
At SURVIVAL, our goal is to support every individual to remain safe, healthy and compliant while working from home.
Our FREE iFirstAid app and FREE downloadable First Aid Emergency Handbook will help ensure all employees have access to first aid information at their fingertips.
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