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What happened?
An employee regularly worked from home, using a glass dining table as their designated office space.
During a break, the employee left the work area, and upon returning, discovered the glass table broken.
The breakage was caused by the laptop overheating, leading to the glass table, which was 3 cm (1.2 inch) thick and weighed about 150 kg (300 lbs), breaking.
The potential consequence of the table breakage was serious personal injuries to the employee or family members.
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Why did it happen?
There was no laptop docking/base station. The table was constructed from non-resistant glass that was not resilient to impacts or temperature variations.
The laptop met the safety requirements - it was designed to shut down automatically to prevent any damage.
The risks associated with laptops overheating were not identified (e.g., in the telecommuting guides, etc.), therefore not communicated to employees.
There was a lack of risk perception and minimal reporting from employees for this type of incident.
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What did they learn?
When charging electronic devices, use safe electrical outlets (direct connection to ground, no plug extensions). Ensure that chargers are certified and in good condition.
Do not leave devices unattended or over flammable surfaces when charging.
When not in use, turn off and unplug your devices.
If your laptop is overheating, turn it off and wait at least one hour before restarting it.
Allow your laptop “breathe”, do not obstruct its ventilation, and do not use it on a bed or on your lap.
Do not expose your laptop to the sun or high temperatures.
Do not carry your laptop in a backpack when it is turned on.
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Ask yourself or your crew
Where do you usually place your laptop when working/charging, and what are the potential risks associated with that?
Why is it important to anticipate and report dangerous outcomes, even if no one else has experienced or reported them before?
What are the gaps in the current procedures for telecommuting that may contribute to risks being overlooked (e.g. like the overheating of electronic devices)? How can we improve our procedures to address this gap?
What other risks are associated with remote working, and how do we address that in our company?
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Published on 29/11/23
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An employee regularly worked from home, using a glass dining table as their designated office space. During a break, the employee left the work area, and upon returning, discovered the glass table broken. The breakage was caused by the laptop overheating, leading to the glass table, which was 3 cm (1.2 inch) thick and weighed about 150 kg (300 lbs), breaking. The potential consequence of the table breakage was serious personal injuries to the employee or family members.
