With the pandemic, many companies opted to implement teleworking, a method that has continued post-Covid19, due to all the advantages it has brought.
However, remote working has also brought significant challenges in terms of security.
It’s important to remember that working from home is not the same as working in an office.
Working conditions at home can be different, with less space and no suitable furniture, as well as possible distractions and a lack of separation between work and personal life.
AWARENESS-RAISING MATERIALS
Risk factors associated with teleworking
Despite the numerous advantages associated with working in this way, it should be borne in mind that teleworking can also be harmful to workers’ health due to the development or aggravation of musculoskeletal injuries.
Ergonomic risks:
-
Sedentary tasks: work is carried out in a static, mostly seated position throughout the working day;
-
Improvised domestic workstations that result in workers having poor postures while carrying out their work;
-
Use of ergonomically unsuitable work equipment, which increases discomfort and puts greater strain on the upper limbs and back;
-
Long working hours, unregulated or non-existent breaks associated with longer periods of sitting can also increase the risk of LMERT;
-
Lack of thermal comfort or lighting when teleworking.
Psychosocial risks:
-
The blurring of the work/home boundary, associated with poor routines, coerces teleworkers into working longer hours at home to ensure that they meet or exceed their employer’s expectations;
-
Less socialization and interaction with colleagues, resulting in a feeling of less support and higher levels of anxiety and stress.
Teleworking can have advantages for workers and society, but it is essential that the employer, together with the Health and Safety Services, is involved in adapting working conditions.
How can the risk assessment of employees be carried out at teleworking?
The employer/security technician can visit the teleworker’s home or workplace with their permission.
However, this face-to-face visit is not necessary in most cases, since it is possible to carry out a risk assessment based on the information gathered from the worker. With the use of remote communication platforms, it is possible to make remote visits to workplaces and, through dialogue with workers, assess the occupational risks associated with their work and the place where they work.
To this end, we have developed a checklist as an assessment tool to help with this risk assessment.
What are the obligations of companies that are 100% teleworking?
Teleworkers have the same rights and duties as other workers, in particular with regard to training, career advancement, limits on working hours, rest periods and the protection of health and safety at work.
The legal regime for compensation for accidents at work and occupational illnesses applies to teleworking situations, where the workplace is considered to be the place chosen by the worker to habitually carry out their activity.
The employer organizes in specific and appropriate ways, with respect for the worker’s privacy, the means necessary to fulfil its responsibilities in terms of Health and Safety at Work, complying with the measures laid down in Decree-Law no. 349/93, of October 1, which transposes the minimum Health and Safety requirements regarding work with display screen equipment.
Preventive measures to adopt
It is essential that companies encourage their employees to adopt measures to ensure Occupational Safety during teleworking, such as:
Use of ergonomic materials
Employers must provide ergonomic chairs, suitable desks and other office equipment in order to reduce the risk of worker injury.
Training on ergonomics in the workplace
Companies should guide, inform and train their employees on how to maintain a safe working environment at home, including tips on correct posture, adequate lighting and maintaining a dedicated workspace.
Employers should encourage workers to incorporate eye relaxation exercises, stretching or physical activity into breaks during meetings and throughout the working day.
They should also emphasize the importance of varying work tasks periodically, changing the position of being in front of the computer (including standing) and taking regular breaks to move and stretch.
Establish flexible working hours
Employers must communicate clearly about tasks, responsibilities, decision-making authority, autonomy and results to be achieved, adjusting workloads and assignments when necessary.
There should be an understanding between workers and employers about working hours, so that teleworkers have regular working hours and rest periods.
Safety is just as important in teleworking as it is in face-to-face work and it is important that companies adopt measures to guarantee the health and well-being of their employees who work from home.
At SEPRI we provide Occupational Health services that are trained to provide ergonomic and psychosocial support to teleworking employees. Contact us.
Read also: Occupational Health and Safety Guide: risks and how to prevent them
