The coronavirus pandemic has led to an increase in home working, and despite the easing of restrictions, the home working trend is set to continue. Employers need to know about working from home health and safety risks and what they must do to protect employee wellbeing.
Working from home has increased in popularity over recent years. According to the Office for National Statistics, 37 per cent of working adults did some work from home in 2020, up from 27 per cent in 2019. It’s a trend that has been amplified by the coronavirus pandemic when restrictions have meant many employees haven’t been able to operate from their place of work.
Although Covid-19 restrictions have eased, the home working trend is set to continue. For many organisations, home working benefits both employer and employee.
But while home working has many advantages, employers are responsible for the health and safety of employees working from home just as they are for employees working in a company office. There are many risks associated with working from home, such as the impact on mental health, lack of communication leading to feelings of isolation, and inappropriate furniture and technology use.
Support employees working from home and ensure you meet health and safety compliance requirements with our Homeworker Awareness course, including training employees on how to spot common hazards when working from home and report accidents and ill-health.
What is working from home?
Working from home is the act of an employee carrying out the tasks needed for their job from the place where they live.
There is no legal definition of working from home, but it applies to employees who work full-time or part-time. Homeworkers may work entirely from home or split their time between home and the organisation’s permanent place of work. Mobile workers who spend lots of time travelling might use their home as their base and rarely visit an organisation’s work premises.
Working from home can be used in conjunction with other arrangements such as flexible or part-time hours, known as hybrid working. Just because an employee is home-based, it doesn’t mean they are working flexibly. An employer might require that the homeworker follows the same working pattern as office-based staff.
Working from home – health and safety responsibilities
Employers are legally responsible for the health and safety of all their employees.
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA 1974) is the main legislation for health, safety and wellbeing in workplaces, including employees working from home. Under the Act, employers must protect the health, safety, and welfare of employees as far as is reasonably practical.
If an organisation has home workers, employers must consider how they will keep in touch with them, what type of work they will be doing and whether measures need to be put in place to protect them from any health and safety hazards.
Another key employer responsibility for working from home health and safety is controlling the risks associated with display screen equipment (DSE) such as employee use of PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. This is particularly important for employees working from home on a long-term basis. Employers’ responsibilities are covered by the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992.
The consequences of an employer breaching their health and safety obligations can be very serious. Failure to comply with a general duty under HSWA 1974 can lead to prosecution, up to six months imprisonment, an unlimited fine, or both.
Working from home – potential health and safety risks
There are various health and safety risks associated with home working.
Inappropriate equipment can cause hazards. If, for example, the employee is using an uncomfortable chair or a laptop screen not at the correct height, it can result in musculoskeletal disorders such as pain and discomfort in the neck, backs, shoulders, arms and hands. These are sometimes referred to as repetitive strain injuries (RSI).
Homeworkers may be less likely to take adequate breaks during the day due to lacking the structure of a communal office, such as visible employee lunch breaks. Prolonged use of screens can result in blurred vision, eye strain and fatigue.
Working from home can impact an employee’s wellbeing and mental health. Employees can feel isolated or disconnected from colleagues, leading to a sense of isolation. As home workers are doing the job in the same place as they live, it can be hard to switch off and create a disconnect between home and work life. Employees might end up working long hours, which can cause work-related stress. Homeworkers may struggle to access support because they are away from managers or lack ready access to HR support.
Homeworking can also put employees at risk of slips, trips and falls, while they might also face electrical safety hazards from equipment that they use.
A survey in February 2021 by the Royal Society for Public Health revealed the mental and physical health impacts of home working during Covid-19. Among the findings was that 67% of respondents said they felt less connected to their colleagues, and 56% found it harder to switch off.
In addition, almost half (48%) of people who work from a sofa or bedroom said they had developed musculoskeletal problems.
Health and safety actions
An employer must ensure that a risk assessment of the work activities employees carry out at home is conducted.
Working from home risk assessment
The employee can do it themselves, but they need to be trained in how to do so. The assessment should identify any hazards in the area where the home worker is working and work out what measures are required to remove or control those risks.
For employees working from home on a long-term basis, a display screen equipment risk assessment should be carried out. The assessment must examine:
- The whole workstation, including the equipment and furniture.
- The workplace environment, such as noise and lighting.
- The tasks that are being completed at the workstation.
- Any special requirements needed for people, such as those who are pregnant or have a disability.
Employee equipment for working from home
There is no general obligation on employers to provide equipment for employees working from home, but you may prefer to provide company computer equipment to ensure system compatibility and consistent virus protection. Employers are responsible for the equipment they give to employees to use at home.
To protect the health and wellbeing of those working from home, employers may want to provide ergonomically designed furniture to prevent musculoskeletal disorders.
DSE assessment
A DSE assessment is not required for employees working at home temporarily, but the Health and Safety Executive says employers should advise employees on completing a basic assessment at home. It provides a workstation checklist that employees can use.
By law, employers must arrange an eye test for DSE users if they request one and provide glasses if an employee needs them only for DSE use.
Employers should encourage home workers to take regular breaks and monitor whether they are working longer hours than required to.
Training, such as the Praxis42 Homework Awareness course, ensures that employees who work from home occasionally or permanently are aware of the hazards and precautions they are obliged to take while at work.
To protect home working employees’ mental health, employers should make sure they have procedures in place to maintain direct contact. You can then ensure you spot signs of stress, loneliness and other issues. You may also want to appoint mental aid first aiders who can spot symptoms of mental health problems and provide support.
Ensure your organisation complies with the Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 with our Display Screen Equipment (DSE) training. Fully IOSH Approved, CPD Certified and SCORM Compliant training.
Download our free workstation assessment+ guide for additional guidance.
