3rd Party Information 22

HE ALTH & SAFETY (continued)

There are many considerations, and eac h case is different, but here are some of the things that you might want to consider when setting up your home office: ▪ Do you have the right tec hnology? o Computer that ser ves the needs of the work that you do? o A wi-fi connection that is reliable and sufficiently fast? o Access to a phone, ideally with headset? ▪ Do you have the right equipment? o A comfortable place to work whic h allows for good posture? o A comfortable c hair, or as an alternative a standing desk? o If you need a printer, is it reliable and sufficient quality? o A paper shredder to destroy confidential documents? ▪ Do you have the right environment? o Somewhere you can concentrate and ideally close the door? o Is the lighting sufficient, do you have a window to see daylight? o Is the temperature comfortable? Can you control it as needed? o Is the space ventilated so you can work comfortably? Then, when you have identified the space, the right tec hnology, and the right environment there are some fundamentals to help promote safety in your work environment including: ▪ Keep the workspace tidy and avoid clutter ▪ Reduce loud noise, interruptions, and distractions ▪ Make sure the floor is clean, dr y, and free from slip, trip and fall hazards ▪ Suitably located power sockets to avoid trailing cable and overloading sockets ▪ Have a qualified electrician c heck out your electrical safety ▪ Recommend installing smoke and carbon monoxide alarms Just like you would do in any office, its advisable to conduct regular risk reviews to ensure that over time risks do not materialize – this might be a home office, but the same hazards exist. Furthermore, here are some simple tips for you to consider getting the most out of your home office and home working arrangements: ▪ Create alarms to structure your day: breakfast, lunc h, walk the dog, time to finish for the day ▪ Take short periodic breaks or c hanges in routine away from your workstation. ▪ Make sure you regularly take some exercise, spin on the bike, or go for a walk ▪ Make sure that you eat and drink regularly, have a bottle of water by you ▪ Don’t sit in the same position for long periods, c hange your posture ▪ Adjust lighting for the time of day REMEMBER: that prediction and prevention in advance is known to significantly reduce the risk of danger and therefore injury.