Policies

Home Working Risk Assessment

Introduction

This Assessment should be completed in conjunction with the Council’s Home Working Policy. It may be appropriate to complete a Display Screen Equipment risk assessment form at the same time.

Name of Homeworker:

Home office location / address:

Health and safety law applies to homeworkers and the Council has the same legal duty to protect their health, safety and welfare, as if they were working in a council office. Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, the Council is required to assess the risk of work activities carried out by staff who work at home. In most cases the risk assessment can be carried out by the homeworker him/herself, although guidance may be sought from the HR Committee.

Completing a risk assessment involves identifying the hazards relating to work activities carried out in the home environment and deciding whether appropriate steps (control measures) have been taken to prevent harm to them or to anyone else who may be affected by their work. A risk assessment will: 

•   identify hazards (a hazard is anything that may cause harm); 
•   decide who might be harmed and how; 
•   assess the risks (a risk is the chance, great or small, that someone will be harmed by a hazard) and take appropriate action to remove them or reduce (control) them as far as possible; 
•   record the findings; and 
•   be reviewed from time to time to see whether take further steps if needed. Before home working commences, the risk assessment should be completed and passed to the HR Committee: the HR Committee should be satisfied that there is low risk and that any additional control measures are in place. Both the employee and the committee should retain a copy of the risk assessment, which should be reviewed at regular intervals. 

Homeworkers: 

•   are advised to complete the DSE risk assessment as well as a Home Working Risk Assessment
•   are advised to take adequate rest breaks as required by the Working Time Regulations 1998 - i.e. where work continues for a period of more than six hours, they should take a break during the working day of at least 20 minutes and stop working during that break. 
•   Should report an ‘accident at work’ while they are homeworking to the HR Committee of the Parish Council. 

Display Screen Equipment (DSE)

Potential hazards and suggested control measures to reduce/eliminate risks.

  • Check the positioning and display of my computer screen/monitor
  • Check the positioning and suitability of my keyboard and mouse
  • Check the suitability of my chair and desk.

Laptop users should consider using a separate monitor, keyboard and mouse. DSE users should also take regular breaks (eg 5 minutes every 30).

 

Homeworker’s checklist, comments and implemented Control Measures

I have read the guidance and checked:

  • the positioning and display of my computer screen/monitor;
  • the positioning and suitability of my keyboard and mouse;
  • the suitability of my chair and desk and am satisfied that they are suitable and safe.

I have made the following changes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Risk is High/Medium/Low (delete as appropriate)

 

Working environment

  • Check that you have sufficient space on and around your desk/home work area
  • Check that you have appropriate lighting for your home work area (eg do you need a desk lamp)
  • Check that the temperature, humidity and ventilation of your home work area is comfortable for you

 

I have read the guidance and checked:

  • the space on and around my desk/home work area;
  • the lighting for my home work area;
  • the temperature, humidity and ventilation of my home work area and am satisfied that they are suitable and safe.

I have made the following changes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Risk is High/Medium/Low (delete as appropriate)

 

Other Hazards

  • Ensure that you are able to safely walk between your home work area and other parts of your home without risk of tripping or slipping, for example on trailing electrical cables, mats, uneven work surfaces, steps, pets or children. Use good footwear.
  • You are advised to have smoke detectors that are regularly checked, a fire extinguisher or fire blanket and a clear escape route.
  • You should be clear about how to report an accident
  • Your electricity supply and any electrical appliances used while homeworking should be well maintained and regularly checked; you are advised to use circuit breakers for your electrical appliances.
  • The noise level in your home work environment should not prevent you from being able to concentrate and carry out your work. Avoid loud music.
  • Manual handling should not be necessary while homeworking; you should take care when moving/carrying your laptop and setting up your home work area.
  • It should not be necessary for you to come into contact with any harmful substances while homeworking.
  • You should maintain regular contact with a colleague while homeworking.

 

I have checked the potential hazards in my home and am satisfied that they are suitable and safe.

I have made the following changes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am aware of the procedures for reporting an accident.

Risk is High/Medium/Low (delete as appropriate)

 

Overall assessment

Overall risk is High/Medium/Low (delete as appropriate)

 

Date of assessment:

 

Assessment completed by:

 

Reviewed by Chair/HR Chair*:

 

Review date:

 

*delete as applicable

 

Date of document: November 2023
Approving committee: HR Committee
Date of committee meeting: 14th November 2023
Policy version reference: V1141123
Supersedes: N/A
Policy effective from: 27th November 2023
Date for next review: November 2024