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Ensuring Occupational Health and Safety for Home and Hybrid Workers
 (3/11) Of the American workers who are able to perform their job at home, almost 60% are now mostly teleworking. Despite working away from the office, employees are still vulnerable to job-related injuries, with the most common being musculoskeletal conditions such as back pain and strains to the hands and wrists. While the benefits of sharing a flexible office space or working entirely from home are well known, being aware of the risks of injury in these settings is important in
order to continue to protect the occupational health and safety of employees.
Compensation for Work-Related Injuries
Even when an employee is working from home, if they suffer an injury or illness that is directly work-related, they can still be eligible for compensation. It is their responsibility however to prove that the injury is related to carrying out work duties and not simply because of preventable hazards in their home environment. While all employers are encouraged to manage the risks faced by their workers at home, workers' compensation laws vary from state to state. In Maryland, all businesses with one or more employees are required to carry workers' compensation insurance, whereas the cover is optional for employers in Texas. Whether or not employees are covered by workers' compensation, Aaron
Allison Law Firm notes that many employees who are injured while undertaking work duties may also be entitled to financial damages from other sources.
Improving Conditions for Teleworkers
In order to minimize the risks of accident and injury in the home office, every employer has a general duty to ensure their employee's workplace is free from recognized hazards that could cause injury. However, the responsibility of employers for teleworkers carrying out general office duties is minimal and, under OSHA guidelines, no inspections of an employee's home office is necessary. Nevertheless, without proper planning, teleworking can have a significant impact on workers' physical and mental wellbeing. By providing workers with ergonomic furniture and the appropriate equipment they need for their job, the risk of injuries and conditions such musculoskeletal pain or eye strain can be reduced.
Liability in a Shared Office Space
As well as working from home, many employees who are no longer required to work in their company's office choose to use the amenities of a shared working space. Workers should be aware that businesses running shared offices are not always obliged to provide basic health and safety measures such as emergency response drills or first aid kits. When employers or their workers are researching potential shared offices, checking the lease terms for health and safety liability from the property owners will help to ensure employees are protected no matter where they choose to work.
With the number of employees working from home or outside of the office, it can be harder to check on their exposure to potential hazards. Although both employers and workers can take steps to minimize the risk of work-related injury, workers can be assured that no matter where they are working, they are still entitled to compensation if an accident or injury does occur.
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