Rank: New forum user 
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As part of an office relocation later this year we are offering employees the opportunity to work in a more flexible way. They will still have a formal desk/workstation set up in the office but have the chance to work more flexibly to aid work/life balance and to cut down on time in the car which may increase with the move for some people.
My question is, how do the DSE regs apply here? Mobile equipment can obviously be used and the guidance doc states that the regs apply if used for "prolonged" periods. Would a day a week with regular breaks in activity be defined as prolonged?
Anyone with any advice on the H&S aspects of implementing such a policy would be much appreciated.
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Rank: Forum user 
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Rank: Super forum user
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We work in this manner and it has been embraced by the workforce. Staff are expected to provide a safe working environment at home applying the DSE regs but we will not provide equipment as we dont require them to work at home, it is a benefit.We have laptops and the desks are furnished with screen, mouse and keyboard with same chair so can easily be set up by each person.
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Rank: Forum user
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Interesting that the IOSH guidance is also 'out of sight' . .
It is written for a parallel universe - eg extract "you should apply similar furniture and equipment standards to a home workstation as you would in an office".
Not in my house you won't!
a) most people do not have a spare room (or even any) room.
b) what my employer provides for work is definitely not my idea of home furnishing.
This guidance does not really differentiate between a permanent work from home set up and an occasional and voluntary usage, which is usually the situation.
I have experience in this area, both as a worker and adviser:
If it is occasional use, provide plenty of information on healthy working, and access to equipment (such as desk risers for laptops, smoke alarm etc).
Make it clear that staff MUST report aches & pains asap.
Ask them to complete a home safety checklist with a link to a DSE self-assessment site (openerg.com) and to email their line manager completed checklist. If really phobic ask for a photo.
Warn against leaving laptops on charge when unattended, give smoke alarm if need be.
Warn against overloading electrical sockets - plenty of advice, just pull it together.
Make it clear that staff MUST report aches & pains asap. Managers to specifically ask about this in review meetings.
Done.
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Rank: Forum user
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I think that the assumption that sitting using a PC at home as well as work for long hours is low risk is a dumbing down of an understanding of human physiology.... Excessive inactivity costs the nation £millions? discuss?
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Rank: Super forum user
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In our case, we have 2 categories.
One is when the employment contract includes homeworking-extremely rare. For such cases, we fund the workstation and there are some specific conditions --i.e. separate room etc.
The other is what this thread appears to be about--permitting flexible working to accommodate work-life balance. In our case, one can for all practical purposes do that only if they are connected to our "network" via company laptops or security access dongles. We require them to complete a checklist that is sample audited periodically ( when they are in the office at work). It is advisory in nature
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