The growing trend for staff to work away from their offices is presenting a health and safety risk for their employers, according to a Bath-based ergonomics consultancy.
Dr Dave Usher, pictured, of InterAction of Bath, which advises industry and the military, says because businesses are unable to control or monitor home working environments, there is an increased risk of staff developing health problems through poor posture and misuse of IT equipment. 
“Yet those employers are still ultimately responsible for the health of their staff regardless of where they work, and are bound by the regulations in place to ensure worker wellbeing,” he said.
“These regulations are increasingly difficult to interpret as they were drafted before the technology enabled remote working and fluid working practices. This leaves employers vulnerable to growing levels of worker illness, absenteeism and even compensation claims. It is a problem that businesses are failing to address.”
Dr Usher also said while staff are increasingly using their own IT equipment – known as Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) – this was potentially storing up problems. Bath’s shortage of office space also means more staff tend to work away from their workplace.
“We have a healthy business community of service suppliers and artisan businesses which are very progressive and will be embracing remote working for its productivity benefits, but also as a solution to the shortage of office space as they expand,” said Dr Usher.
“Until the regulations are updated to factor in fluid working practices, InterAction of Bath is telling Bath-based businesses and organisations to take a proactive approach to the problem and to incorporate employee education programmes that advise on issues such as posture, chair and desk use, and correct use of technology.”
