Suggestions on How to Keep At-Home Workers Safe

Jan. 10, 2000
Experts say that companies should set rules for their telecommuters in order to ensure a safe working environment at home.

The outcry over an advisory from OSHA saying it would hold employers responsible for the safety of employees working at home died quickly when OSHA withdrew the ruling last week.

However, experts say that there are ground rules that companies should set to assure that this highly productive relationship works best for everyone involved.

Approximately 20 million teleworkers conduct business at home on a daily basis, according to statistics from the International Telework Association and Council (ITAC), a group that promotes telecommuting.

At a recent press conference regarding OSHA's at-home work policy, Gail Martin, executive director of the ITAC, said employers should sit down with their employees and put together a memorandum of understanding about the responsibilities of each telecommuter to ensure their safety and health in the home work place.

Nadine Mockler, president of Flexible Resources, a Greenwich, Conn., consulting firm that sets up alternative work arrangements for professionals, said most companies don't even think about their responsibilities for the safety of their at-home employees.

"In our 10 years in business, the safety of someone working out of their home has never come up," said Mockler. "We tell our clients from small business owners to Fortune 500 companies, to pay attention to the home office situation. When that happens, safety becomes a common-sense issue."

Here are some suggestions Flexible Resources offers to businesses who have employees who telecommute.

  • The employer should insist that the home office is indeed a proper office -- with a door that closes. Forget the dining room table, a telecommuter needs a clean, quiet uncluttered space to be productive.
  • The company should ensure that the home office is equipped with the type of technology the employee would have in the office.
  • The company and the telecommuter should go over a set of ground rules establishing specific hours the employee is expected to be at their desks, and how and when both sides will communicate.

"We are glad to see the government recognizes telecommuting as a visible work option," said Laurie Young, a partner at Flexible Resources. "The most dangerous thing employees do every day is drive to work during rush hour. Telecommuters may in fact be the safest employees of all."

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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