Since the COVID-19 pandemic spurred the exodus from offices to remote work, many employers have lost the ability to ensure their staff have proper workstations and that they are taking steps to reduce the physical stresses of sitting for prolonged periods of time.

People are working from kitchen tables, sofas, sitting on the floor at a coffee table, or using a myriad of chairs and makeshift desks that are not suitable for long hours of sitting and typing.

Working from home also reduces the number of times your employees get up from their desks, since there are no colleagues around to chat with or join for a coffee or lunch.

It’s important for employers to think of a worker’s home office as an extension of their at-work office. OSHA requires that employers take steps to reduce the chance of injury to their workers, regardless of if they’re lifting heavy boxes or doing computer work wherever they are working.

What you can do

To protect your workers from ergonomic and other injuries, here are some steps you can take (some of these recommendations can apply to in-office staff as well):

Provide a workplace safety checklist — A safety checklist can help your remote workers set up an ergonomically correct home workspace. Common questions that employees may be asked to consider include the following:

• Is the floor area clear and free of tripping hazards?
• Do file cabinet drawers open into paths of travel?
• Are phone lines and charging cables secured under a desk or along a wall?
• Are rugs secured to the floor and free of frayed or worn seams?
• Is there a working smoke detector in the vicinity of the workspace?
• Are radiators and portable space heaters located away from flammable items?
• Are electrical plugs and outlets in good working order, with no exposed or damaged wiring?
• Does the office chair provide adequate lumbar support?
• Have the monitor and keyboard been set up in an ergonomic manner?

Inspect the home office — Employers may consider inspecting the employee’s home office to confirm that it is safe and suitable for work. If you go this route, you may want to document such inspections.

Designate a dedicated work area — If possible, employees should be required to have a dedicated work area. This helps to minimize the likelihood of injury. It also helps to keep them focused during the workday.

Cost considerations

Generally speaking, you have a duty of care to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all of your employees. However, you do not have a responsibility to cover the costs of remote work equipment, although most employers will cover the cost of a laptop.

If your worker does not have a proper workstation, you can choose whether to cover the cost of a proper chair, desk and other accessories — or have them spring for it themselves.

Other precautions

Besides having proper furniture and an area to work, you can advise your staff to follow these simple tips:

1. Don’t ignore discomfort: If you begin to feel even a mild ache or minor numbness as you sit at your desk, it’s important to act on it right away. Try to figure out what is causing the discomfort and mend the problem. Although your soreness may seem insignificant now, it could eventually develop into chronic pain if you don’t heed your body’s warning signals.

2. Get moving: Don’t sit in the same position for hours on end. Try to get up and move around every hour to prevent blood circulation problems and muscle fatigue. Simply stand up and stretch or take a quick walk around the office or home.

3. Stay neutral: It’s important to keep your joints in a “neutral” position as you work at your computer desk. For example, if you hold your wrist at an improper angle as you type or move your computer mouse, you could develop chronic pain or even carpal tunnel syndrome, which can lead to pain and require surgery.

4. Keep your workstation ergonomically correct: If you are experiencing discomfort at your desk, you may need to readjust your workstation. You might need to raise, lower or reposition your keyboard to keep your wrists neutral and your elbows close to the body.