As the pandemic continues and employers are once again asked to support employees to work from home where they can, the HSE has published updated guidance on homeworking including hybrid working. Employers have the same legal responsibility for employees who work from home as they do for those in the office.
As an employer, you have the same health and safety responsibilities for people working at home as for any other worker.
The HSE guidance applies to those who:
– work at home long term
– routinely split their time between their workplace and home (sometimes called hybrid working)
– are working at home temporarily due to COVID-19 restrictions
Most of the time, risks to home workers will be low and the actions you should take to protect them will be straightforward.
Things you should consider as part of your risk assessment for home workers include:
– stress and poor mental health
– working with display screen equipment
– their working environment
You should talk to your workers about their arrangements, as working from home may not be suitable for everyone. For example, some people may not have an appropriate place to work or may prefer to come into the workplace for wellbeing, mental health or other reasons.
Detailed guidance is available on the HSE website.