OSHA officials say the document simply presented recommendations and clarifications, and that no rules were changed. Some businesses contend, however, that by issuing a recommendation OSHA has started down a slippery slope leading to litigation and regulation of companies making use of home-based workers. Many at-home workers face conditions of lighting and heating that would be unthinkable in any traditional workplace. No business should be allowed to profit from such poor working conditions. Many businesses already have formal agreements with their at-home workers and provide them with computers and a list of approved furniture, ensuring the provision of safe and ergonomically correct working conditions without inspecting every home.
Businesses save a lot of capital costs by using today's at-home workforce.
These workers deserve the same legal protections provided to more traditional workers. Equipping employees with materials and conditions equivalent to those required in traditional workplaces, at millions of different home-worksites, would needlessly cost companies billions of dollars. Imposing workplace safety standards at home worksites also would invite gross invasions of privacy. It's not difficult to imagine OSHA inspectors banging on people's front doors while conducting surprise inspections. If held to the same standards as traditional workplaces, an outside employer could be sued for damages.