Are your employees “safe” working from home?

Since pre-pandemic days, many employers have struggled to understand DSE (Display Screen Equipment) assessment regulations and how they impact working from home health and safety requirements.  A recent study  has revealed that less than 50% of employers fully understand DSE and desk assessment regulations and only 30% fully comply.

Over 70% of the surveyed companies took action at the start of the pandemic to help employees improve their home workspaces. Equipment was transported from offices to homes as a short term fix but attention has now turned to longer-term planning for remote and hybrid working, including compliance with regulatory requirements.

For the majority of companies, complaints of back or neck painor other musculoskeletal issues are on the rise, yet only 10% of surveyed employers said they fully understand workspace regulations for DSE and desk assessments for hybrid working.

Employers have two main requirements under the regulations:

• Assess the suitability of a desk worker’s workspace, particularly an ergonomic assessment of quality of the workspace.

• Train employees how to work safely in their environment, including ergonomics, equipment and healthy behaviours like taking frequent breaks.

Employers who do not comply with both requirements are likely to be in direct breach of the regulations. If you require support to manage the health and safety needs of your home-working staff, 121 HR Solutions can help with home working policies and support to interpret DSE risk assessments. Contact us at enquiries@121hsolutions.co.uk