Home Working, should I be worried

[timwilky]

Actually gone in the office today. I have been unofficially home based for about 5 years and just been chatting with my boss. He has now got yet another hat and is now responsible for the businesses Health & Safety.

Whilst 99% of our staff are in traditional offices, certain individuals have traditionally taken the p155 and worked from home tomorrow or in my case for the past 5 years.

This has now gone onto his radar as a health and safety issue as he wishes me to look at H&S assessment software and cited me as an example of nobody knows what my work environment is like.

Well I work in the loft, I have to climb a loft ladder to get there. Should my boss ever visit there is no way I would be allowed to work there because of the ladder. The rest is fine, floored, walled, protected power supplies etc. Just the access.

Then there is a wider issue that probably affects most home workers. What insurance cover is there should they have an accident whilst working from home. We doubt the companies would actually cover me should I slip down the ladder etc. I have a dodgy back. What happens if I need to move a printer/pc etc.

What is the experience of other home workers. Has your employer done any form of Health and Safety assessment against your working environment.

I did suggest the company could pay for a proper staircase installing. But his selective deafness had set in by then

[G]

The term is often changed to field worker, rather than home worker. Therefore you dont have a workplace as such to assess.

Thats one way around it.

There is however all sorts to consider from a H&S perspective when people work from home. Lone working Regs, DSE Regs, alsorts.

Companies often dont realise how open to prosecution and/or injury claims from 'home workers'. Then when they do, they panic and go way over the top like your boss is probably going to do.

I think that's normal. I am home based on had my "office" blessed by the manager. Plugs, chairs, laptop, blinds etc. It's done only once so it is not an issue.

[G]

Originally Posted by Dave The Rave

I think that's normal. I am home based on had my "office" blessed by the manager. Plugs, chairs, laptop, blinds etc. It's done only once so it is not an issue.

It shouldnt be 'only done once'......so you manager isnt complying with regs either.

[Luckypants]

I am officially a home worker. My 'workplace indicator code' shows this. Therefore my home office is officially my workplace and as such is covered by H&S regs. My boss has offered a desk / chair etc but the office has never been formally assessed for H&S.

My office is in a spare room, upstairs. It has natural light, pukks desk and chair, phone etc. It will be ok from H&S perspective. Tim I have no idea how much H&S covers a home office, but I think an open hatch to the loft will be the big bug bear and also the ladder.

As far as moving equipment is concerned, if it is work kit then they must train you in manual handling techniques. You then must adhere to these guidelines.

not much help really.

Christ, whatever next. I am so fed up will all this kind of crap. Are you allowed to work in your pants, do you have to wear tie? What if the cat gets in the 'office'?

I'm going to Paraguay.

H&S what's that?

[Luckypants]

Health & Safety

The worlds gone mad I tell yer!

It's like 'Data Protection'. The Data Protection Act is the world's biggest excuse to do nothing. I had to call a utility company to tell them that a client's tenant had vacated the property and give them the frwarding address as the tenant didn't speak English and so couldn't make the call. The helpful person at the other end told me 'Data Protection' and refused to listen. If I'd been asking for info then fair dos, but I was giving it. The DPA is completely irrelevant....