The Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 states that employees working from home are covered when injuries occur. It’s important, however, before beginning to work from home, to ensure that your employer has been clear about the policies surrounding your home office and how you and your employer will ensure the health and safety of the environment.
Although your employer has a responsibility to ensure the safety of your work environment (even if it is in your home), you as an employee will still have responsibilities in relation to your safety. Having a clear work policy will help to alleviate grey areas when it comes to expectations, but, like all work environments, there is still a risk of potential injury while performing tasks on behalf of your employer.
Risks to consider
While working from home seems like a perfectly safe alternative to working from an office, injury can still occur. Those who work from a home office may run the risk of:
Electrical or equipment related injuries
Environmental hazards
Personal security issues
Environmental hazards
Musculoskeletal injuries such as trips or falls
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