Health & Safety in Work for People Operating from Home

20 Jul 2020

Health & Safety in Work for People Operating from Home

COVID-19 has meant a lot of changes for us all and it’s led to a dramatic rise in the amount of people working from home. Now, the work space may have changed, but the employers obligations haven’t, as it is their responsibility to ensure that home workers are entitled to the same workplace safety rights as anyone else.

There are many workplace health and safety factors that need to considered by employers who have workers operating from home and they include:

  • What sort of work are they doing and how long are they doing it for?

  • Is the worker operating without supervision?

  • Is the work able to be carried out safely?

  • How is communication going to be maintained through the work?

  • Are control measures necessary?

The answers to these questions will guide the measures that need to be implemented to ensure safety in the workplace. Whether the person in question is working from home temporarily or on a permanent basis, workplace risk assessments still need to be carried out in the same way.

These Safety Regulations Are Important Because...

Whilst things like hazard identification are important for the occupational safety of home workers, there are a number of other factors at work that relate to mental health. Associated issues are considered during workplace-based risk assessments and they need to be conducted in the home setting, with the following questions needing to be answered.

  • Does the worker feel isolated and disconnected?

  • Are DSE rules being followed with regards to time spent in front of a computer screen?

  • Does the person in question have the necessary equipment for a good working posture?

  • Is the equipment being used for work fully tested and safe to use?

As you can see, there is just as much to consider for home workers as there is in traditional health and occupational safety in a traditional workplace. This small list of questions is just the tip of the iceberg and as such, it’s always a good idea to enlist the expertise of a fully qualified, professional team of workplace safety consultants.

Talk to the Occupational Hygiene Experts Today
At OHSS Safety Consultants, we have all the up to date knowledge of all Irish regulations and requirements and local knowledge of businesses and how they operate across Ireland. The expertise we possess allows us to help our customers to create safe and well-functioning workspaces that also focus on the safety of those who use them.

If you’d like to know more about workplace risk assessments, occupational health or anything discussed here, you can find a wealth of information on our website www.ohss.ie. Alternatively, if you want to speak to our expert team directly, call us today on (01) 6905907 and we’ll do our very best to help in any way we are able to.

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