A senior aged woman, working at her desk in a home office.

Shot of a businessman suffering from neck pain while working at home

Pinnacol Assurance is Colorado’s largest workers’ compensation insurance carrier. We operate as a mutual insurance company, providing caring coverage for nearly one million workers. www.pinnacol.com 

Temporary telecommuting arrangements are now permanent for many businesses, creating happy employees and new questions. One unrecognized challenge is how to keep employees safe and healthy in their home offices.

You look after your workers’ safety at the office or on job sites by conducting fire drills and buying ergonomic furniture. Implementing similar steps to keep telecommuters safe can feel out of your control. But it’s critical, especially in Colorado.

One year into the pandemic, 32.7% of Colorado adults were in a household with a remote worker, ranking third highest in the nation.

The benefits of working remotely include

●      Fewer accidents during daily commutes.

Plus, employers spend less on real estate and gain more-productive employees.

A senior aged woman, working at her desk in a home office.

But home office safety hazards lurk despite the convenience and comfort of working remotely. Lacking oversight, telecommuting can result in injuries while working.

Instituting telecommuting guidelines, with a focus on employee health, helps avoid work-related injury and ensures employees stay as safe at home as they would be in the office. Start with these suggestions:

1. Put remote work agreements in writing.

Make sure both parties understand expectations and what safety standards to follow when working remotely.‍ A remote work policy should address location, hazards and ergonomics.

2. Institute remote work hazard assessments.

Remote workers should conduct a biannual hazard assessment based on a standardized checklist.

3. Keep a portable fire extinguisher handy.

Most homes store fire extinguishers in the kitchen, if they have them at all. Suggest remote workers place a Class C extinguisher, which is safe for electrical equipment, at their workstation, in case of emergency.

4. Provide remote work equipment and training.

While remote workers may prefer to relax on the couch with their laptop, this can trigger back and neck issues; shoulder, wrist and hand problems; or other work-related injuries.

Provide highly adjustable task chairs, quality keyboard and mouse options, and adjustable-height monitors for laptop users working remotely.

Encourage employees to perform an ergonomic self-assessment of their workstation.

Shot of a businessman suffering from neck pain while working at home

5. Move computers away from heat sources.

Overheated computers can malfunction, lose data and, in the worst case, start a fire. Require the use of surge protectors, too, just as you do in the office.

With no supervisor to regulate them, workstations may become messy. A remote worker may sustain an injury by tripping over a computer cord, child’s toy or even a pet.  Advise telecommuters to clean up daily, just as they would at the office.

7. Avoid eye strain when working remotely.

Working on a computer located near a large window or reading paper documents in a dark basement can cause eye strain.

Review Office Ergonomics Workstation Tips for guidelines on proper workstation setup, layout and lighting. A desktop task lamp can provide sufficient light for workers reading a lot of paper documents.

By addressing home office hazards early, you can ensure your employees remain safe and productive. For more telecommuting safety guidance, contact Pinnacol Assurance’s workplace safety team.