Working From Home Risk Assessment (UK)

An employer duty of care does not stop at the office door. When staff work from home, regularly or on a hybrid basis, the risks to their health and safety still need to be assessed. This guide explains what a homeworking assessment should cover.

The duty still applies

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management Regulations 1999 apply to homeworkers just as they do to office staff. You cannot inspect every home, so the practical approach is a self completed checklist that the worker fills in, with follow up where problems are flagged.

What to cover

1. Workstation and DSE. The desk, chair, screen height and posture, covered by our DSE assessment guide.
2. Electrical safety. Sockets not overloaded, leads in good condition.
3. Environment. Enough space, lighting, heating and ventilation.
4. Slips and trips. Clear walkways and no trailing cables.
5. Wellbeing and isolation. Workload, working hours, and keeping in touch, which ties to our stress risk assessment guide.

Lone working

A homeworker is also a lone worker, so consider how they would raise the alarm if taken ill and how they keep in contact. Our lone working guide covers this.

How to run it

Issue a homeworking self assessment checklist, review the returns, act on anything flagged, and repeat when the arrangement or the work changes.

Record it

Keep the completed checklists and any actions taken. Our risk assessment template can be adapted into the homeworking checklist you issue.