What are peoples thoughts on home working.
Under H&S and management regs, risk assessments need to be completed for different aspects of working.
What are 'peoples' approach for completing assessments for working at home.
I'm looking for (I think) an info sheet to issue to all people who have the potential to work at home, rather than having assessment to complete, would that fit, or are people going down the way of 'job safety analysis' (my prefered method for getting involvement for areas that I can't get to immediately), therefore working with those who could work at home to complete an assessment.

What are people's thoughts / is there anything that I can borrow, steal etc.

Many thanks

Are you talking specifically about DSE and related tasks, or is this other work?
I would suggest getting the employee to bring in a picture or two of the proposed workstation, a self-assessment process and a guidance document would alleviate any need for employer visit. Get the employee to authenticate and sign the pictures as being the actual workstation they will use and keep that with R/A records. Do this annually (people move and shift things at home!).
The employer needs to ensure that requirements for supervision, provision of information, instruction and training are all adequately met.

Another topic which has been discussed before. It does depend on what the homeworkers will be doing. If they are working with machines ie stitching garments, then normal workplace RAs will be required. However, if we are talking about using a PC, printer, phone, etc, then I do not think it is necessary to carry out RAs.

Before the RA Police arrest me, my defence will be that the most risky part of an employees' day is travelling to and from work on the public highway. Remove that risk by working from home negates the need for any superficial RA!

The voice of reason.

So Zimmy, your client needed an electrician not an RA! ;)

I have staff that work from home for some reason or another, I have made a generic risk assessment for which I use, when I had my compliance audit, they said it was okay

I've always been selective. By that read a pragmatist, a realist, and someone who tries to stick to the sensible and proportional management of significant health and safety risks.

Don't think I ever said that homeworking should be ignored. I scoffed at your (IMO) silly idea of taking a photo of someone's workstation.

The HSE have sadly removed their own homeworking guidance and replaced it with a dumbed down version. But even that states that the use of computers at home is a low risk acticvity - as is office work generally. Employers have no control and therefore cannot dictate over things like electrical testing of installations, heating and fire arranegements in someone's own home. The old guidance used to cover such matters for memory. A general policy and provision of suitable equipment should be more than adequate.

I have been a homeworker for years, with various employers. Currently I have a nice employer who has given me monitor and docking station (for my laptop), additional keyboard, additional mouse, and I have an allowance to buy some office furniture such as suitable chair. Fab. Never had so much. However, I have also had employers who have provided me wiht nothing more than a laptop. To be honest I consider working at home a privildge that enable me to live where I want to. I'm not tied to my desk and the risks are low.

I do not feel that it is trivial risk to intensively use DSE for 6 hours in a day or that we can simply ignore the DSE Regs. The issue is what to do about it in a practically. In our organisation, we have a very few, less than 2 or 3 employees whose contracts of employment states that they will primarily work from home (mainly for their benefit). For them, we have a robust system--no I do not visit their residences, but our process is generally a win-win for both. It includes an agreement from the employee that they have "quiet room" ideally for that purpose, and we pay for the workstation. (They undergo a half-day preactical defensive driving assessment/training as the occasional drive to the "office" base is perhaps the highest risk)

On the other hand, we have ad-hoc homeworking by significant numbers, perhaps a couple of times a month. We expect them to follow the guidelines for adjusting their workstation/laptops etc. Although not perfect, it is my view that we have a pragmatic approach to homeworking.

Incidentally, there is excellent IOSH guidance on teleworking, and I have used the checklists to compile my own version for the homeworkers we have whose contract of employment states they work from home ( 2 or 3 in 400!)

Out of 'site' out of mind? Managing office teleworking in the 21st century

http://www.iosh.co.uk/in...eb92368c7&version=-1
This guide explains how to protect your staff and improve efficiency by sensibly managing the risks associated with teleworking.

assessment checklist
http://www.iosh.co.uk/in...9b0a5be9b&version=-1

feedback checklist
http://www.iosh.co.uk/in...744574f82&version=-1

audit checklist
http://www.iosh.co.uk/in...75af5bca1&version=-1

Ron, I am not oblivious to the ill health which can be caused by repetitive tasks, poor ergonomics and so on. Indeed my wife suffers from chronic WRULDS - if only she would listen to me. However, for most people having an 'office day' from home these issues will not be a factor - it really is as simple as that.

For some people working from home may be the norm, people like me perhaps? I purchased a fully adjustable and comfortable leather chair for under £100, I can adjust my workstation to suit and take breaks whenever I choose - preferably on the golf course.

Taking a break now and making a cuppa.

I take it your not exactly clear as to the extent of employer liability for those respective issues, NR?

As usual some of the forum are taking the extremist view that just because I and others think that they may be going OTT that we aren't taking health and safety seriously enough or don't have sufficient knowledge.

Of course that's nonsense, no one is saying ignore H&S issues associated with homeworkers, just apply proportionality that's all.

Ray it time to stop trying to convince those who don't want to hear. You are absolutly correct working at home isa a very low risk thing. Give people the knowledge to ensure they set thier home computer up and how to work on laptops and make them aware of any other general issues to be considered and you have done all that is reasonably practicable, job done. Please remember the home environment is the owners responsibility.

You've attracted some polarised viewpoints here, Jackson900572. Care to share which way you intend to go?

Gentleman

If I am one of the people you are accusing of not seeing the wood for the trees I would ask what knowledge you have about people homes? I have had jobs that have involved me visiting numerous people in there own homes and quite honestly you would be appalled at the conditions you find, many are total unsuitable as a workplace. I fully agree with sensible health and safety anyone who knows me know I hope will testify to that, but what worries me is when I see an attitude that because its a persons home we don't need to worry. How many of us have given advice to people in an office about computer setup and found it not being followed would you ignore that? In a persons home not many people are lucky enough to have a dedicated office space, the computer may be used by other members of the family etc a whole host of issues not face in an office environment. If that ho,e worker is an employee then they are still owed a duty to say give them the advice and if they don't follow it then tough I do not think is good health and safety!

People, whether home workers or not, need to take some personal responsibility. This is what is sadly lacking in our society today. I for one don't intend nannying people about basic risks - starting with those in the home. If people choose not to wear protective glasses or RCD when cutting the lawn, gloves when gardening, smoke or heat detectors on the landing, gas boiler checked annually, etc, then that is their personal choice. So be it.

Home working is 'high risk'. Take a look at the number of serious accidents in the home. For one try tipping a hot or cold drink over the desk and letting it drip onto the PC. Getting killed in own time is up to the home owner etc... in firms time ?

As in my first post, we had to ensure that the electrical system at the house was safe to use, lighting sufficient etc.

The home becomes the work place.

Of course there is home working, and there is………………home working! Jackson doesn’t actually say what the work is.

What happened to the HSE sensible risk debate? I accept that there may be cases where a formal risk assessment is required, but equally I suggest that there will be cases where some form of self assessment is appropriate and some cases where an assessment isn’t required at all.

There are cases where staff work at home for the day just to get away from the hustle and bustle of the office so that they can concentrate on a report etc. Does this represent a high risk? Nah! Does it require a formal RA and reams of paper? I suggest not.

I might be in a minority but I personally never rated the previous HSE guidance on this subject, and the latest is IMVHO of even less practical use.

Although I accept that there are a number of serous accidents in homes every year, we need to add some context and proportion to that. In the grand scheme of things, is the average home HIGH risk ? Really?

I don‘t think anyone is denying that a home worker is an employee (actually they may not be in all cases) or that a duty is owed, but surely one of our jobs is to determine the extent of that duty?

Is Bob S the next Henry Root? The voice or reason? :-) only kidding Bob.

Perhaps the terms used should be 'working from home' ie office day, and 'homeworking' ie someone permanently working from home. Then we could have 'low risk' for someone having an office day, 'medium risk' for manufacturing, soldering or welding and finally, 'high risk' for those making incendiary devices or bombs.

If H&S is relaxed when working from home and home being a place of work then why do we need H&S at work?

I am not sure if anyone actually said that it should be relaxed!

What many have advocated is that you need to apply much the same principles of proportionality and reasonableness as you would in any other situation. That is generally recognised in law and is the guiding principle of the HSE sensible risk debate