Employers' Responsibilities for Homeworkers

Employers Responsibilities for Homeworkers

Employers’ Responsibilities for Homeworkers

Employers have the same health and safety responsibilities for their staff working from home as they have for their staff working in the office or away from the office premises on company business.

Staff working from home still need to

• have a safe environment to work in

• be consulted over health and safety matters

• have safe working methods (sometimes referred to as safe systems of work) and

• be competent to carry out their role (usually ensured by providing sufficient information, instruction and training)

Employers should consider the following:

• the suitability of the home working layout and working arrangements (for example electrical safety, slip/trips and falling hazards)

• the ergonomic set-up of the work equipment (interface between IT equipment, desk/work surface and chair)

• the mental wellbeing of their staff working in isolation at home

• loneworking without supervision

Employers should take the following actions to ensure homeworking can be safely undertaken without causing harm to either the member of staff or other members of the household:

• Assess the work activities to be carried out at home to evaluate whether they are suitable to be carried out in a home environment where there is no supervision or assistance should something go wrong

• Assess the work environment in the home to identify and manage physical hazards which may affect the ability to work safely at home

• Assess the ergonomic working arrangements – conduct a workstation risk assessment

• Identify ways of keeping in touch on a regular basis to reduce the sense of isolation and to help with spotting early signs of stress eg regular team meetings

• Identify any training needs (including refresher training) and means of providing this training

The HSE have a number of useful tools and templates to help employers fulfill their responsibilities towards their homeworkers. Cut and paste any of the links below:

Introduction to the topic: https://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/workers/home.htm

Working with Display Screen Equipment (IT Equipment) https://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/dse/index.htm

Display Screen Equipment Risk Assessment Checklist: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck1.pdf

Recognising signs of stress: https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/signs.htm

Protection of Loneworkers: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg73.pdf

Di Wright CMIOSH

Principal Health & Safety Consultant

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