13 September 2004 - HSE Publishes Guidance for Employers and Homeworkers
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently published a report which offers good practice case studies, which along with existing guidance, will give practical advice to employees and homeworkers.
Under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA) employers have the same duties to protect the health, safety and welfare of homeworkers who are employees, in the same way that they do for employees working from their premises/site. Employers should also be aware that they have responsibilities for self-employed workers in that, If a person working under the control and direction of a company is treated as self-employed for tax and national insurance purposes, they may be treated as an employee for health and safety purposes. Companies may need to take appropriate steps to protect them also.
Although the report has been undertaken referring to specific industrial sectors, there is general good practice information that will be useful to employers and homeworkers in other industries.
The report was developed in four industry sectors as follows:
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textiles
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packing/assembling/finishing
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electrical and electronic
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business services and computing.
Jane Willis, Policy Director at HSE commented:
“These examples of good
practice show how employers and homeworkers can identify work-related
hazards and take appropriate measures to reduce the risks associated with
homeworking.”
“Work-related incidents can affect not just homeworkers, but others in their
home, including children and visitors. With homeworking, there are special
factors like the presence of children, that can turn relatively minor
hazards into significant risks and it is really important that employers
address them”.
The report can be accessed on the HSE web site by clicking this link: RR262 - Health and Safety of Homeworkers: Good Practice Case Studies
