NEW Scottish guidelines for 2021 encourage employers and employees to work together to improve health and safety, says health and safety expert Craig Cooper from Aberdeen-based Safetynet Scotland.
“The Scottish Government has updated its health and safety guidance to remind employers that their health and safety responsibilities remain when an employee is working at home.
Subscribe to our daily newsletter
Why? Free to subscribe, no paywall, daily business news digest.
“There are undoubtedly as many people itching to get back to the workplace as there are those who are enjoying a lack of commute and need to dress up. Additionally, many parents with school-age children are finding themselves working twice as hard to support their youngsters as well as meeting work commitments.
“Working at home, though convenient for many, brings with it a risk of stress, fatigue and reduced productivity. Recent guidelines from the Scottish Government have underlined the responsibility of the employer to work with the employee to reduce the health and safety risks of the work at home worker.”
Described as a ‘spirit of collaborative working between companies and their workforce’, the guidelines confirm that organisations continue to have a legal responsibility to maintain workplace health and safety – and that includes working at home.
To help employers consider the health and safety implications of employees at home, a working at home wellbeing checklist has been developed by the Government which includes the consideration of flexible hours or reduced hours where necessary.
With the closure of schools and working parents supervising home schooling at the same time as working, employers are being asked to discuss the individual’s caring responsibility and reduce or amend workload where appropriate.
Craig adds: “Aside from the Government’s recent legal stipulations, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advises care and consideration is given to those who work at home alone. It is important that employers communicate regularly with staff members and check on their wellbeing.
“Regular contact can help workers feel less isolated and avoid potential mental health and stress issues. Weekly meetings, coffee chats and sharing of information, which probably happen naturally in the workplace, should be continued, especially for those working alone.
“As well as the potential for stress, workplace injury is a possibility, if health and safety for desk workers is not assessed. At home it is likely that the desk and display screen equipment (DSE) is somewhat different to in a purpose-built environment.
“The HSE expects employers to encourage basic home DSE equipment checks, in order to assess if any practices could lead to injury. In particular, chairs at home can be a risk – if an employee is sat at a kitchen table or on a sofa. Ergonomic desk chairs should be used where possible to avoid aches or pains or longer-term damage. Poor workstations can cause fatigue, upper limb problems and back ache. Additionally, eye strain can be caused by excessive computer use, so the HSE asks employers to remind their staff to break up long spells of screen-time and move around regularly.”
Craig says that fire risk is also increased in the home. “People act differently at home when they are working, compared to how they would do at evenings and at weekends, so managers should ask those working to home to conduct their own fire risk assessment. Overcrowded plugs, unattended heaters and cluttered printer areas can all be fire hazards, as well, of course, as the kitchen area, especially when used by numerous members of the household.
“A fire exit plan is always a good idea, with exit paths always kept clear. Regular checking of fire alarms is something which should be taken seriously, especially when several people at working or studying independently. New fire safety rules for all domestic properties in Scotland come into force in February 2022 and home owners and employers should be aware of these in advance of these regulations coming into force.”
The cooperation between employer and employee are key to avoid health and safety problems Craig advises. “Usually, at work, fire assessments and desktop positioning is taken care of by the company’s health and safety team, but at home, we all have a responsibility to consider risks and take action to avoid incidents.
“In many ways the pandemic has brought us closer, and when it comes to health and safety at work, employers and employees should co-operate to make working at home safe, productive and enjoyable.”
