Home Office Checklist

The below is a guest Home Office Checklist by Riona Carroll, a phenomenal member of the Grow Remote community with years of experience in remote and home working. You can find more of her work here.

It is suggested that the employee be requested to complete this check list.  If the answer to any question is “No” or “Unsure” it may indicate that the employee cannot work from home. 

Alternatively, the employee and manager may come up with an appropriate work around or solution.

It is important that employers realised that they are ultimately responsible for the health and safety of their employees while working off site and that they must, in so far as is reasonably practicable, ensure the safety, health and welfare at work of all employees.

In current circumstances, where home working has been foisted on many businesses and their employees, the completion of a Checklist such as this is about as much as is reasonably practicable.

IssueYesNoUnsure  
Do you have a suitable space to work from temporarily?     
Do you have all the equipment you need to work from home?     
Can you access the workspace easily and safely?     
Is there adequate light, ventilation and heat to allow you to work comfortably?     
Are there adequate power points/sockets in the workspace to enable you to safely connect electrical equipment without the risk of overheating?
   
Is the floor clear and dry, e.g., kept clear of electrical cables or anything else you could trip over / slip on?     
Are electrical sockets, plugs and cords in good condition e.g. no charring, exposed wiring or frayed cables?   
Is there enough workspace to accommodate the equipment or other materials needed for the activity?       
Is there enough space to allow you to work without twisting, bending or sitting/standing awkwardly?     
Is the workspace free of clutter?     

Please note that this checklist is provide as a guideline only.  Employers/managers should adapt the content to suit their own business.

Hope you find it useful – and here’s a copy in .pdf if you’d like to download or distribute it.

If you have any queries or if I can help in any other way, please feel free to contact me.

All the best

Riona