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Posted By Neil Koskie
Hi
We have several people who are based in the office but from time to time work the odd day from home. When they work from home, they use a company laptop.
My question is this, do we need to carry out risk assessments of their workstation and other activities when they work from home?
We also have several people who are contracted to work one day per week from home, whose activities have been risk assessed.
Should we treat all homeworkers in the same way regardless of frequency?
Any help would be appreciated.
Neil
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Posted By Guill
Hi Neil,
The main emphasis is: If you provide the kit, you are resposible same as in normal work environment. Homeworker is responsible for condition of home electrics, plug sockets etc.
There is a free guide from HSE website if you have a browse through free leaflets.
Hope this helps.
Guill
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Posted By Frank Hallett
Hi Neil - Yes, you have to do it but not necessarily to the same extent as the workstations that you have 100% control over.
Frank Hallett
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Posted By Dave Wilson
I would suggest you dont, as they infrequently work from home, if their normal place of work is the office then NO if their normal place of work is the spare room then YES.
I infrequently work in a hotel bedroom (with a laptop!!!) or at a service station.
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Posted By Ron Young
Agree with Dave 100%. If they have an office and a workstation in it and they choose to work from home on occasion, they're not "Teleworkers" No need to do an assessment.
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Posted By MICK MEAD, CMIOSH
I advocate doing the assessments
I'm aware of where an employee working from home on a laptop who successfully claimed for back pain. The question posed by the defendants insurer was quite simple - "did you do an assessment?". They hadn't!! The employee had received training as a DSE User, and knew working on a laptop for prolonged periods was frowned upon by the employer.
I feel that the employees can be quite easily trained in how to assess their workstation (or lack of it) at home. A self-assessment checklist maybe.
I would also take other things into account when compiling a questionairre (rather than making home visits), such as security - imagine the burglary that means thr company loses a computer and the data.
My most common problem was that some people working from home seem not to have a decent adjustable chair, or maybe a real lack of storage space - both of which soon become h&s issues.
Regards, Mick
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Posted By Frank Hallett
I dislike to disagree with people so directly but the DSE Regs do not exclude the defined usage from assessment
The employees do not have to be "teleworkers" either; simply to fall within the employer defined criteria to be a "User" under the Regs. As it's generally so much easier and cheaper in the long run to include and assess rather than exclude and subsequently defend; I can only recommend inclusion.
Frank Hallett
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