Remote work is now a permanent fixture in the UK workforce. Whether it’s part of a hybrid setup or a fully remote role, working from home offers flexibility, but it also introduces new legal responsibilities that many employers and employees may not realise they have. In the UK, health and safety laws extend beyond the office and apply to any environment where work is carried out, including your home.
Here, Health and Safety Expert Josh McNicholas from Evalu-8 EHS shares four unexpected health and safety obligations UK employers must comply with when staff work remotely.
Employers Still Have a Duty of Care, Even in Your Living Room
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, employers have a legal duty to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of employees “so far as is reasonably practicable.” This duty doesn’t stop at the office door! When you’re working from home, your employer is still responsible for making sure your working conditions are safe. That often means conducting a risk assessment and providing guidance or adjustments. For example, if you’re working at a kitchen counter with no proper seating, your employer might be obliged to provide the means to get a proper office chair and desk.
Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Regulations Apply at Home Too
The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations require employers to minimise the health risks associated with using screens for prolonged periods. If you’re using a computer or laptop daily, your employer has to ensure that your home work setup is done correctly. This includes appropriate height of the screen, chair support, keyboard and mouse placement, and lighting. Employers also have to provide regular training on how to use DSE safely.
Employers Must Support Your Mental Well-being
Mental health is a key consideration under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, which require employers to assess and manage all health risks, including stress. There is a risk that the isolation and blurred boundaries of WFH can take a toll on well-being. Employers are encouraged (and in some cases required) to take reasonable steps to support mental health, such as offering access to mental health resources, conducting regular check-ins, and ensuring reasonable working hours are maintained. Remote doesn’t mean invisible. Mental health obligations still apply!
Accidents at Home May Be RIDDOR Reportable
Many people don’t realise that if a serious injury occurs while working from home, it may need to be reported under RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). For example, if someone trips over a loose wire while walking to their desk and suffers a major injury during work hours, that may be a reportable incident. Employers should have a process in place for home workers to report accidents, and those reports should be taken seriously, even if the incident happened miles away from the office.
The post Four Health and Safety Rules You Didn’t Realise Applied To WFH first appeared on HR News.