Homeworking
Here you will find guidance on the health and safety issues involved in homeworking if it becomes necessary as the result of implementation of school and departmental H1N1 Flu contingency plans. You will be termed as a 'homeworker' if you are employed by the University and required to work from home.
WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES
The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA) and most of the regulations made under the HSWA apply to homeworkers. These include, for example, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (MHSWR), the Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER).
Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, the University is required to do a risk assessment of the work activities carried out by homeworkers. Completing a risk assessment involves identifying the hazards relating to the homeworkers' work activities and deciding whether enough steps have been taken to prevent harm to them or to anyone else who may be affected by their work. A risk is the chance, great or small, that someone will be harmed by a hazard. A hazard is anything that may cause harm. Risk assesssment is generally carried out by those involved in carrying out the work that gives rise to the risk. In the context of homeworking required as a result of the H1N1 Flu pandemic it will be necessary for homeworkers to carry out the risk assessment for the area they are working in, using the guidance given below.