With advances in communication technologies such as mobile
phones, personal computers and the Internet, it is increasingly
common for people to work at home or in other locations remote from
the centralised office.
In fact, our research* as a provider of business insurance indicates that
some 57% of SMEs (small to medium sized enterprises) do allow their
employees to work from home; citing increased productivity,
reduction in overheads, and reduction in travel, as the reasons for
this arrangement.
It appears however that despite this trend increasing over the
years, business owners are still unsure of their responsibilities
on the health and safety issues involved in homeworking. In fact,
our research highlights that a large number (40%) of business
owners do not think that these same health and safety
responsibilities apply to the staff they allow to work from
home.
What the Law Requires
What many SMEs may find surprising therefore is that under The
Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA) employers have a duty
to protect the health, safety and welfare of their employees,
including homeworkers. There are a number of regulations made under
the HSWA that are applicable to all
employees, regardless of their working location.
Whilst our research found that 85% of business owners had not
conducted one themselves, employers are in fact required to do a
risk assessment of the activities due to be carried out by the
homeworker under the Management of Health and Safety at Work
Regulations 1999.
This needn't be a daunting task however, so here we offer some
guidance on the basic steps you should follow.
Identify any hazards - consider what may cause harm to
the homeworker or others.
Whilst they might sound obvious, even small hazards should not
be ignored as they could result in harm.
Common hazards that may apply in a home environment may
include:
-handling
loads
The task of handling loads that are
heavy, difficult to grasp or unstable should be identified in the
assessment. If employees must handle goods as part of their role
then employers should look to provide training and/or lifting aids
to minimise the risk of serious injuries.
-using work equipment at
home
It is the employer's responsibility
to ensure that the equipment they provide is suitable for the job
at hand, and that their employee is trained and knowledgeable on
how to use this equipment properly and safely.
Equipment should also be regularly
checked (by trained professionals if necessary) and protective
equipment should be provided if applicable e.g. guards on
machinery.
-using electrical
equipment at home
Again, the employer is responsible
for the maintenance of any electrical equipment that they supply.
Equipment should be regularly checked for damage, and it is also
important to check that there are no trailing wires, leads or
cables in the vicinity where the equipment is being used
-working with VDUs
(visual display units)
As with employees working in an office
environment, an assessment should be made for those staff working
with PCs and laptops in the home. Homeworkers should take regular
breaks from work, and change position regularly to avoid undue
strain and fatigue. VDUs also need to be carefully positioned in
the home to ensure that there is no glare on the screen, the is
suitable lighting, and that it can be viewed comfortably and
without straining.
Decide who might be harmed and
how
This doesn't just include the homeworker themselves, but
also members of the family and others in the home, especially
children and the elderly. Visitors to the home should also be
considered when conducting the assessment.
Assess the risks and take appropriate
action
If either the employer or the employee come across a potential
hazard during the assessment they must decide on the steps to take
to reduce or eliminate the risk as far as possible. This may be as
simple as tidying some loose wires away if there are children in
the home, or if a workstation is in an area that receives a lot of
'traffic'.
Record the Findings
By law, employers who have five or more members of staff
(including homeworkers) must record the significant findings from a
risk assessment. They should note down what steps were taken to
reduce or eliminate the risks identified.
Check the risks and review the assessment from
time to time - especially when circumstances or procedures
change.
It is important that employers do review the risk assessments
occasionally so as to identify any new hazards that may cause harm
to the homeworker or their family.
It is also important to make homeworkers aware of their own
responsibility to comply with the safety instructions and guidance
they are given. They should also be encouraged to report any
matters requiring review that may compromise their safety whilst
working from home.
If you do have employees working from home, in some cases, you
could be held liable if they are injured whilst working. It is
therefore advisable to speak to your insurer if you do have
employees working from home, particularly if the work is of a
'manual' nature. This is to ensure that you are adequately covered
by employer's liability which covers costs if your business has to
pay damages to an employee. Whilst homeworkers can be trained to
contribute to or complete risk assessments themselves, ultimately
the final responsibility lies with the employer so it is essential
that this topic is not overlooked.
*Total sample size was 582 SMEs. Field work was undertaken
between 8 and 10 June 2009. The survey was carried out online.
