There is no legislated minimum space for office accommodation - but there is guidance material available. However, don't forget that under Section 21 of the OHS Act the employer must provide a for employees a 'working environment that is safe and without risks to health'.
Advice on how offices should be set up, and how much space there should be can be found in:
- The Compliance Code for Workplace amenities and work environment has advice on workspace generally and also access, aisles and passageways (Sections 114 - 121).
- Officewise - guidelines for OHS in offices which cover all sorts of things: Section 4 addresses Office layout, workstations and equipment. The advice for floor space, following 'building block' approach, is 6 square metres per person for 'tertiary' space - space required in a workstation to accommodate a desk, chair, drawers, filing cabinet, etc. It also refers to an Australian Standard, which recommends an overall (including primary, secondary and tertiary space - ie meeting rooms, corridors, etc as well as work station) of 10 square metres per person in offices. This standard relates to the ventilation of the building. (note: this publication has been picked up by all of the Australian OHS Authorities)
Both of these publications are available free from WorkSafe - call (03) 9641 1333 (The Compliance Code is only available through the WorkSafe website at the moment)
Comcare has an FAQ on
minimum office space.
There are also Australian Standards - but these provide guidelines only, as they are not 'called up' in any regulations.
Note the relevant Australian Standard applicable to work stations is AS3590.2-1990 'Screen based workstations Part 2: Workstation furniture'. The optimal layout specified by the Standard is as noted below:
Height of work surface
If fixed - 680mm to 720mm above floor level
If adjustable - 580mm - 730mm above floor levelArea of work surface
Width - 1500mm minimum
Depth - 900mm minimum
Bench thickness over leg span - 25mm maximumVolume of leg space
Width - 800mm minimum
Depth - 550mm minimum
Height - 580mm minimumViewing distance to work
350mm - minimum
750mm - maximum
Height of display - 30mm - 40mm below eye levelSeat pan height
Surface of seat to floor - 380mm - 510mm
Seat pan depth - 330mm - 430mm
Footrest area - 300mm x 375mm
Additionally, see Australian Standard 1668.2-2002 -
The use of ventilation and air conditioning in buildings.