Rank: Forum user 
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The new world ahead of us presents a very different approach to work, especially longer term homeworking. I am increasingly being asked about “what do I need to do” regarding managing home workers. We do need to consider DSE, lone working, mental health and general Health & safety around the workplace/home. I am looking at producing a 1 stop assessment which cover all these multiple subjects, which both educates the employee and informs the managers of their responsibilities. Has anyone already invented this wheel, or am I about to do it? Looking forward slightly, we will get to a stage if not already reached it, about looking at employer’s responsibility for the maintenance of electrical equipment, desk/chairs and other supplied equipment. Has anyone been down this path? My approach is to ensure compliance, control, records and information without creating reams of paperwork. One final question, rights for managers/employers to visit the employee at home in order to comply with their responsibilities towards the employee, this I suspect could be a very sticky subject without consultation, but there could be employees who refuse access.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Plenty of existing and revised guidance out there. Why having protected your employee by letting them work from home would you then seek to send someone round to potentially infect the employee AND their household? Why would you want to risk someone being exposed to risks from the employee, their home, household and/or pets? Most employees have the ability to transmit a digital image - I would start with this and follow up if things appear severely amiss.
Remember in their home an employee has a right to a private family life so not only can you be refused access but they can also decline to provide a photograph.
Not sure domestic intrusion was the intention back in 1974 when the wording "co-operate with the employer" was written in to law, especially where the initial contract is for a location away from home.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Plenty of existing and revised guidance out there. Why having protected your employee by letting them work from home would you then seek to send someone round to potentially infect the employee AND their household? Why would you want to risk someone being exposed to risks from the employee, their home, household and/or pets? Most employees have the ability to transmit a digital image - I would start with this and follow up if things appear severely amiss.
Remember in their home an employee has a right to a private family life so not only can you be refused access but they can also decline to provide a photograph.
Not sure domestic intrusion was the intention back in 1974 when the wording "co-operate with the employer" was written in to law, especially where the initial contract is for a location away from home.
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Rank: Forum user
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Originally Posted by: Roundtuit  Plenty of existing and revised guidance out there. Why having protected your employee by letting them work from home would you then seek to send someone round to potentially infect the employee AND their household? Why would you want to risk someone being exposed to risks from the employee, their home, household and/or pets?
Most employees have the ability to transmit a digital image - I would start with this and follow up if things appear severely amiss.
Remember in their home an employee has a right to a private family life so not only can you be refused access but they can also decline to provide a photograph.
Not sure domestic intrusion was the intention back in 1974 when the wording "co-operate with the employer" was written in to law, especially where the initial contract is for a location away from home.
I interpret the OP as talking about a self- assessment and not necessarily someone going to another member of staff’s home to conduct an assessment.
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Rank: Forum user
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We are now in week 20 of the lockdown and I ask opinions on what you believe is a suitable time period (week) when we start to re-classify staff from temporary DSE home working to long term working?
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Rank: Super forum user 
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You as an employer are only responsible for the equipment that you provide. However, you are responsible for ensuring their safety.
We all sent many office staff home in a hurry as lockdown came into force. I beleive that if you are looking at keeping workers at home from your RA that now you should consider a more thorough RA of their work areas as it is now long term. For us we offered employees to take their office chairs with them, provided things like headset, allowance for better broadband, etc.
Not sure I agree with going to their house, but giving them instruction on how to set up and perhaps ask for photographs of the office set up.
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 2 users thanked WatsonD for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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So you provide them with a desk and chair and get them to send you a photograph which is satisfactory. So far so good, but then they decide to work from a comfortable armchair by the fire with the computer/tablet on their lap. How will you know? Isn't this a similar situation as someone, e.g. a mechanic servicing some equipment at your customer? I think the 'so far as reasonably practicable' element starts to take on a new meaning.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: peterhosie I interpret the OP as talking about a self- assessment and not necessarily someone going to another member of staff’s home to conduct an assessment. Originally Posted by: 008 One final question, rights for managers/employers to visit the employee at home in order to comply with their responsibilities towards the employee
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2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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Rank: Super forum user
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Originally Posted by: peterhosie I interpret the OP as talking about a self- assessment and not necessarily someone going to another member of staff’s home to conduct an assessment. Originally Posted by: 008 One final question, rights for managers/employers to visit the employee at home in order to comply with their responsibilities towards the employee
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2 users thanked Roundtuit for this useful post.
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