Working from home

admin • April 21, 2025

Working from home has become very common. Sometimes we can be permanently working from home, temporarily or as part of a hybrid arrangement. Even though we are not physically in our usually workplace, our home has now become our workplace and so this means that OHS Laws still apply, and all the legislated duty holders still have the same duties under The Act.

 

The employer still has duties, including to ensure a safe workplace, mitigate OHS risks and to consult with their employees. The employee has a duty to take reasonable care for their own safety and to co-operate with safety measure put in place by their employer.

 

The risk management process should still take place, even though you are working in your home environment, and we must seek to identify hazards as a starting point.

 

Common hazards which you may find when you assess your own home work environment could include:

  • Poor lighting
  • Noise
  • Poor temperature control
  • Electrical hazards
  • Psychosocial hazards (eg: job demands, poor role clarity, lack of support, online abuse, bullying, etc)
  • Fatigue
  • Domestic violence
  • Trip and slip hazards
  • Poor ergonomics

 

The individual worker is particularly important in the hazard identification and risk management process in the work from home context. This is because they are often the only person who will be aware of the risks associated with their individual home environment.

 

For more information on this topic, take a look at:

https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safety-topic/managing-health-and-safety/working-home

https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/officewise-working-home

 

Bushfire

By admin • January 27, 2026
Australia is a fire-prone country, and workplaces in many areas are at risk of being impacted by bushfires in some way. The effects of bushfires may include direct exposure to fire, as well as smoke exposure and psychological impacts. As with any workplace hazard, employers have a duty to manage and control the risk of injury. A bushfire risk assessment should therefore be undertaken. Through this process, employers should: Identify whether there is a potential bushfire hazard Assess the risk of bushfires affecting the health and safety of workers, including smoke exposure Identify appropriate control measures Review control measures to ensure they are effective and that no new hazards have been introduced Consultation with workers should occur at each stage of this process. When developing a bushfire risk assessment and policy, employers should consider the following: How will fire danger ratings be monitored throughout the bushfire season? How vulnerable is the workplace location? What actions will be taken on days of extreme or catastrophic fire danger? Are there workers who travel for work or spend significant time on the road? Are there workers who operate alone or in isolated locations? What emergency and evacuation plans are in place? Once a bushfire policy has been developed in consultation with workers, appropriate training must be provided. Employers are legally required to ensure workers receive the necessary information, instruction, and training to remain safe at work, including in relation to bushfire risks. For more information, take a look at: Working outside - Working near bushfires | Safe Work Australia

HSRs rights to training

By admin • January 19, 2026
Under the Victorian Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 , Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) are not required to be trained in order to exercise their powers. However, in order to fully understand their role and powers, training is highly beneficial and recommended by WorkSafe. Most HSRs will not understand how to make the most of their role as an HSR without participating in training – and therefore it is not until training has been completed that an HSR can maximise their positive impact upon the safety of their workplace. HSRs rights in relation to training are outlined under Section 67 of the OHS Act. They include: The right to attend initial training after being elected The right to attend a refresher course at least once a year The right to choose their course. This includes their course provider and course* The right for their course to be paid for by their employer, as well as associated costs with attending the course The right to be paid while attending the course *The course must be approved by WorkSafe and delivered by a WorkSafe approved provider, such as BeSafe. The HSR must consult with their employer and give 14 days notice. Section 69 of the OHS Act also discusses further the rights of HSR to training. This covers the right to attend additional training, when WorkSafe has approved them under Section 69 . HSRs have a right to attend these courses on top of the s67 courses. HSRs can be a very useful resource for employers in helping to create safe and healthy workplaces. It is in their best interest to encourage their HSRs to be trained. However, in the case where an employer does not allow the HSR to be trained as per the requirements under The Act, there are penalties which apply to this conduct, as it is a breach of the Legislation. For more information take a look at: Health and safety representative training | WorkSafe Victoria HSRs' Right to Training - OHS Reps Or get in contact with us for assistance: 0467002060 HSR Training and support | BeSafe | Regional Victoria You can book WorkSafe approved courses with us at HSR Training Courses | BeSafe | Regional Victoria