The area of your home that you use for work should ideally be completely separate from the rest of your home. A spare room with a door that
locks or an outbuilding such as a garage or shed is best, so that:
» your work equipment won't be a risk to members of your household
» the risk of accidental damage to your work or equipment will be reduced
» it will help you 'shut off' from home life, so that you can deal with your clients in a professional manner
» it will be easier to resist demands from other members of your household
Allocating part of your house as a workplace can have tax and insurance implications.
If complete segregation of work from home is not possible then partial segregation is the next best option. You could:
» use your office equipment in a general area of the house such as a sitting or dining room
» lock away equipment and work when it is not in use
» consider housing your workstation in a cupboard with lockable shutters or doors
Remember to:
» be very careful about safety
» consider the effects on other members of your household
It is a good idea to have a separate telephone line and answering machine for your business calls.
Work equipment and workstation set up:
Make sure that your equipment is safe and that other members of your household, especially small children, can't be harmed by it.
Electrical safety is extremely important and you should beware of overloading socket points.
The equipment you use must be:
» fit for the job
» checked regularly
You also need to protect your work from other occupants of your home.
If you have to share a computer make sure you back up your work regularly and that your work is password protected.
Your work area:
There are many things to consider when setting up your work area. The major points are:
» Equipment must meet basic standards and be properly set up.
» Chairs should be adjustable to suit any user.
» Computer equipment should be safe and not affect the user's health.
» Computer screens (VDUs) should be free from glare and reflections.
» Workstations must be adjusted to a comfortable position, with the keyboard in the correct position.
» You must take regular breaks from screen work.
