HOME WORKER RISK ASSESSMENT |
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A home worker risk assessment is required under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992. It assesses the risks associated with an employee working from home on a habitual basis.
Examples of home worker related hazards may be:
- Poor posture, i.e. stretching / twisting
- Repetitive movements
- Inappropriate workstation furniture
- Eye strain
- Restricted space
It is a requirement that the home worker risk assessments be carried out by a competent person. Failure to comply with this requirement may render a home worker risk assessment as non-conforming and void.
On a practical level, the main benefit of a home worker risk assessment is to reduce the likelihood of harm occurring to a home worker.
On a legal level, the main benefit of having a home worker risk assessment in place is that if a worst-case scenario does happen and a home worker is harmed, your organisation will have a legal defence.
These benefits rely on the risk assessment being kept up-to-date, and recommendations made in the risk assessment being acted on within a reasonable timeframe.