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Safety in the Home
Workplace
One of the most ignored aspects of working at home is safety.
Business offices go to all sorts of lengths to avoid any injury
or harm to their workers (they don't want to get sued, after
all). Meanwhile, you might not even know that it's possible to
injure yourself with nothing more than office equipment. If
you're going to avoid a lot of pain in your future, you need to
read up on home office safety now.
Your Chair
The chances are that you're going to be sitting on your chair
for quite a long time each day. If you have a bad chair, or you
haven't adjusted it properly, you could give yourself a back
injury -- and they're painful, not to mention expensive to
treat.
When you're choosing your chair, make sure you sit on it for a
while in the shop, giving yourself a chance to get used to the
way it feels, and be prepared to walk away if it starts to get
uncomfortable quickly. Don't pay a ridiculous amount, but don't
get the cheapest and worst thing in the shop, either.
Your Mouse and Keyboard
If you're using a computer mouse a lot for your work or doing a
lot of typing, you can give yourself some pretty nasty
injuries. This is because doing the same thing over and over
again can give you a repetitive strain injury (RSI), such as
carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis. This is one of the most
common problems amongst office workers, home workers
included.
You might have an RSI if you notice pain, weakness and fatigue
in your muscles. One of the most common symptoms is pain when
you're lying in bed. People tend to think that they must just
be sleeping in an awkward position, or that they need a better
bed or pillow, not realizing that their office equipment is to
blame. If you think you might be an RSI sufferer, go and see
your doctor. Massages tend to be the most effective treatment,
when given by a trained therapist.
To protect yourself against RSI, there are a number of things
you can do. You should take regular breaks from using your
computer, and stop immediately if you start to feel any kind of
pain. You may also wish to invest in an ergonomic keyboard and
mouse, which are laid out differently to normal keyboards and
mice in an effort to make them more comfortable and less
dangerous to use.
Clean and Tidy
Silly as it might sound, the second most common problem amongst
home office workers is that they make a mess. Your home office
might become cluttered with wires, open drawers, and various
objects all over the floor. It's quite possible to trip and
fall over all of these things, and if you walk around enough in
a confined space then eventually you will. Do as much as you
can to keep your home office uncluttered: always close drawers,
keep wires in one corner of the room and don't put anything on
the floor.
Strangers in Your Home
An aspect of safety that many people don't think of is the fact
that you could be letting strangers into their home when you
agree to meet clients there, and this can be risky for you and
your family. You might be especially worried if there will be
children at home with you while you're working.
The simple answer, of course, is to always meet new customers
in a public place, until you know and trust them. Coffee places
are good for this. As a bonus, you'll inevitably look more
professional if they don't realise that you're a home business,
and having a coffee each gives you something to do during any
lulls in conversation other than just sitting there and looking
awkward.
First Aid Kits
Finally, one last note if you're doing manual work: you really
ought to have a first aid kit in your workshop, as well as one
that you carry around with you. You really shouldn't be doing
anything physical as a business unless you've taken a first aid
course -- they're quick, easy and inexpensive, so there's no
excuse. It could save your life someday, after all.
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