Controversy rages on in the States over the nature of employers' responsibility for health and safety when employees work outside the office.

Late last year, the US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) advised one company that its normal H&S practices should be extended to staff working at home. The advice was made public - routine practice in the States - and immediately caused a storm of questions and criticism.

Since then, OSHA has been struggling to qualify its position. Most recently, its parent organisation, the US Labor Department, withdrew the original advice.

"We acknowledge that employers are responsible for employee safety and health," said Labor Secretary Alexis Herman, "but we don't know what that means and how that applies to new arrangements in the home today."

The Department plans to set up a taskforce to study the issue before it takes any further action.

Elliott Chase