Family room
Description
Eligibility
What employees should know or do
What employers should know or do
Description
A family room is a clean and private area at the workplace available to employees for emergencies, for example, when employees need to care for a child or a dependant person who is recovering from a non-contagious illness, or if care arrangements break down. This room may also be made available for employees who need to breastfeed or express milk.
This room could include kitchen facilities, a computer, telephone and usual office set-up, a cot, sofa bed, television, video and toys.
Eligibility
The establishment of a family room is not provided for under the Industrial Relations Act 1999 (PDF, 1.9 MB) and is generally not provided for in awards. This means that the establishment of a family room must be negotiated with the employer, who may approve it.
Where there are no provisions under the Industrial Relations Act 1999 or awards, employers and employees may negotiate an informal arrangement, a formal policy or a formal agreement registered or approved by an authority or tribunal. Employees should contact their human resource department or employer to find out what provisions may already be available through any such arrangement.
What employees should know or do
When establishing a family room, there are a couple of issues that need to be addressed.
Insurance issues
Workers' compensation insurance only applies to the actual worker. Any accidents occurring in the family room that involve other people who are not workers at the organisation (e.g. the children that need to be cared for) are not covered by workers compensation.
Organisations should have public liability in their workplace, so the employer could discuss with their insurer whether this would cover any accidents that may occur in the family room.
Workplace health and safety
In establishing a family room, the workplace health and safety of children and young people who are being cared for in the family room must be considered. In Queensland, the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 (PDF, 766 KB) provides for the protection of all people at workplaces, including children and young people who are working, as well as children and young people who are in a workplace for any other reason. Workplace health and safety responsibilities apply to the family room as they apply to the rest of the workplace.
What employers should know or do
As part of ensuring a safe workplace, the employer should ensure a risk management process is undertaken to manage the risks to children and young people who may visit the family room. For example, computer and electrical equipment should be tested for safety.
As part of establishing a family room, the employer should develop a procedure that defines when the room can be used and for what purpose, and this should be communicated to all workers. If children and young people will be at a workplace, there should be clear ground rules about entry and supervision. Physical barriers, such as locked cupboards and storage areas minimise exposure to the risk for children and young people visiting the workplace.
An employee should notify the organisation of any work related incident, accident or injury that occurs while using the family room. After the family room is established, workplace health and safety officers are required by the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 to conduct an assessment at the workplace, at least annually, to identify any hazards and unsafe or unsatisfactory workplace health and safety conditions and practices.
Last updated 21 July 2009
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