According to the HSE, the number of people working at home is increasing. Analysis of Labour Force Survey data from 1981 and 1998 shows that the numbers working mainly at home have doubled in that period, from 345,920 (1% of the employed workforce) in 1981, to 680,612 (2.5% of the employed workforce) in 1998.
But the growing trend towards working from home does not remove responsibilities from the employer. Legislation specifically provides that employers have the same obligations to protect the health, safety and welfare of homeworkers who are employees, as they do for employees on-site.
In addition, warns the HSE, 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 still be treated as an employee for health and safety purposes. Companies may need to take appropriate action to protect them.
The HSE has now published a report on homeworking, which provides a series of good practice case studies that illustrate good health and safety practice in four industry sectors - textiles, packing/assembling/finishing, electrical and electronic, and business services and computing – although the principles applied will be relevant to all industries.
"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," said Jane Willis, Policy Director at HSE.
"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."