Employers’ Responsibilities for Homeworkers Employers have the same health and safety responsibilities for their staff working from home as they have for their staff working in the office or away from the office premises on company business. Staff working from home still need to • have a safe environment to work in • be consulted over health and safety matters • have safe working methods (sometimes referred to as safe systems of work) and • be competent to carry out their role (usually ensured by providing sufficient information, instruction and training) Employers should consider the following: • the suitability of the home working layout and working arrangements (for example electrical safety, slip/trips and falling hazards) • the ergonomic set-up of the work equipment (interface between IT equipment, desk/work surface and chair) • the mental wellbeing of their staff working in isolation at home • loneworking without supervision Employers should take the following actions to ensure homeworking can be safely undertaken without causing harm to either the member of staff or other members of the household : • Assess the work activities to be carried out at home to evaluate whether they are suitable to be carried out in a home environment where there is no supervision or assistance should something go wrong • Assess the work environment in the home to identify and manage physical hazards which may affect the ability to work safely at home • Assess the ergonomic working arrangements – conduct a workstation risk assessment • Identify ways of keeping in touch on a regular basis to reduce the sense of isolation and to help with spotting early signs of stress eg regular team meetings • Identify any training needs (including refresher training) and means of providing this training The HSE have a number of useful tools and templates to help employers fulfill their responsibilities towards their homeworkers. Cut and paste any of the links below: Introduction to the topic: https://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/workers/home.htm Working with Display Screen Equipment (IT Equipment) https://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/dse/index.htm Display Screen Equipment Risk Assessment Checklist: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck1.pdf Recognising signs of stress: https://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/signs.htm Protection of Loneworkers : https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg73.pdf Di Wright CMIOSH Principal Health & Safety Consultant

To support the UK Government Road Map out of National Lockdown 2021, free twice-weekly Covid-19 Lateral Flow Tests will made available to all persons over the age of 18 from the end of this week. Test kits will be available at key locations or by post. Copy and Paste the link below into your browser for full details: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/twice-weekly-rapid-testing-to-be-available-to-everyone-in-england

So the UK Government has published their #covid 19 Response Spring 2021 Road Map for coming out of the current lockdown in England. They have given a series of dates when certain #restrictions will be lifted depending on whether the #data support doing so. But remember; just because you will be allowed to do certain things does not necessarily mean you should: it is really important that you make your own judgement on whether you can visit certain venues or take part in a particular activity without compromising your health. #staysafe everyone!