OSHA Drops Confusing Home Office Policy

Wednesday, January 5th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The federal government gets involved in safety of the workplace through OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Some interesting questions floated around Washington this week. Two questions that needed answers: Should home offices be treated the same? Can employers be sued for work-related injuries in the home? The News on Six examined this issue.

In the digital age of 2000, millions of Americans telecommute instead of fighting traffic. The Labor Department says 20 million people do their jobs from home, like Christin Kallivokas. "If I'm at the office, I have to close the door to have everybody leave me alone,â€ she said. â€œBut if I'm at home, it works much faster and much more efficient and I can get a lot more done sometimes."

But when the Department of Labor recently issued an advisory saying companies are required to enforce OSHA health and safety rules in home work sites, just like offices do, it caused an uproar. "Stay out of our bedrooms,â€ said telecommuter Timothy Hugo. â€œStay out of our spare rooms, and stay out of our basements. We do not want OSHA police knocking on the door in the middle of the night."

In the new ruling, companies feared endless liability that once seemed ridiculous. "I woke up yesterday morning and tripped over my border collie Riley,â€ said National Association of Manufacturers spokesman Pat Clearly. â€œHe was OK until I got to work and realized he is now an OSHA hazard, so I have to paint him yellow or get rid of him."

The criticism forced Labor Secretary Alexis Herman to drop the policy two days after it went public. The advisory, she wrote, caused widespread confusion and unintended consequences. Now, in a move clearly calculated to anger no one, Herman will appoint a task force to conduct a long and perhaps forgettable study of the issue.

The letter that started this whole controversy came out after a Texas company asked for advice before moving its sales executives into home offices. Oklahoma congressman J.C. Watts and Ernest Istook threatened to pass laws overturning the rule if it weren't withdrawn.