Health and Safety Documents for Employed Remote Workers

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers are responsible for the health and safety of their employees wherever they work - including at home. The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 require employers to assess the home working setups of employees who use screens as a significant part of their work. Employers are also required to ensure that home workers have fire safety considered, that their electrical equipment is safe, and that a mechanism for recording accidents and incidents is in place. || In practice, the majority of employers have not fulfilled these obligations for their remote workforce. The rapid expansion of remote working has left a significant compliance gap in most organisations - one that most employees are entirely unaware of. || If your employer has not provided you with a home working risk assessment or any formal compliance documentation, you are working in an unassessed environment. That matters both for your safety and for your legal position if anything goes wrong.

Studies of remote working compliance consistently find that the majority of home working employees have never had their working environment formally assessed by their employer. HR teams that are diligent about office-based compliance frequently have no process for home working assessment. The result is that millions of employed remote workers are operating in environments that have never been evaluated for risk. || The practical consequences are real. Poorly set up workstations cause repetitive strain and musculoskeletal problems. Inadequate lighting affects productivity and eye health. Electrical equipment that has never been checked presents fire risks. Without documentation, there is no evidence that any of these things have been considered - which matters if an injury leads to a claim. || CompliantDocs generates five completed compliance documents for your home working environment. Whether you share them with your employer, keep them for your own records, or use them to prompt a conversation about your working conditions, having documentation in place is always better than having none.