July 14, 2010

When you think of remote workers, you might first think of someone puttering around in pajamas while working from a computer. But remote workers have been around since long before the Internet and include travelling salesmen, repair and installation workers, and other workers whose jobs take them out of the office. Because they aren't located at your facility, all of these workers can easily be overlooked when it comes to even basic safety. Here are some steps you should take to ensure the safety of remote workers:

Are you doing all you should to keep your remote workers safe? Find out by joining us on August 4 for a 90-minute webinar on how to protect your off-site workers.

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1. Assess the work: Prior to employing workers for remote work, do a risk assessment to determine the safety hazards that might arise. Protecting the worker from violence may be a key consideration in your job hazard assessment, especially for workers who come in contact with the public (i.e., those not working in their own home office).

2. Pick your employees wisely: Not everyone is capable of working safely as a remote worker. When hiring employees for jobs that require remote work, evaluate whether the candidates have the ability to follow safety rules without a supervisor present. You may want to pass on workers who are not self-directed or possess a cavalier attitude about safety.

3. Provide training: Remote workers need to spend as much time with training as your in-office workers. Don't forget to include the basic training other workers receive, including training on your Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP), hazard communication, and job-specific hazards. With remote workers who can't easily make it to your office, computer-based training can work. Make sure you include your specific company information with any pre-packaged computer-based programs.

4. Make reporting simple: Develop a simple system for remote employees to report injuries and illnesses and report and correct safety hazards. Your system should consider issues like how paperwork is provided to, or by, the worker in a timely fashion; how you will manage a work-related injury case with a remote worker; and how you verify whether a safety hazard has been corrected once it has been reported.

5. Provide for emergency communication: If you have workers who are working not only away from your office but also away from population centers, you need to ensure that they can obtain emergency care in the event of an injury. Some options include radios, regular check-ins, cell or satellite phones, or electronic monitoring systems.

6. Provide supervision: Remote workers require some level of supervision. Plan on periodically visiting them to discuss their work and any issues they may have. You can also observe whether your employees exhibit safe work habits and inspect their tools and equipment.

Remote Employees: How To Protect the Safety of Off-Site Workers and Decrease Your Risk of Citations and Lawsuits

Protecting the people who work at your plant, facility, or office is challenging enough. But how can you protect those working remotely, such as inspectors, service or repair workers, sales people, home healthcare workers, drivers, and employees working at somebody else's facility—many of whom are working alone?

Off-site workers may be exposed to many health and safety hazards that are significantly different from the hazards at your facility. Do Cal/OSHA regulations apply to these workers, and if so, what are your obligations as an employer? How do you ensure the health and safety of those working remotely?

Join us August 4 for a 90-minute webinar in which our speaker—a Cal/OSHA expert—will address these challenges and provide practical tips for managing your remote workers and keeping them out of harm's way.

You'll learn:

• Cal/OSHA requirements and how to comply for off-site workers
• How to assess the health and safety requirements for your off-site workers
• Strategies for applying your Injury and Illness Prevention Program for off-site workers
• Special requirements for those working at multi-employer jobsites
• What training for off-site workers should include and how training should be conducted

Register now »

Learn more »