During these Covid-19 restrictions, everyone who can is now having to work from home. For young workers and their managers this may present additional considerations and challenges to be overcome.
Workstation and DSE
The HSE have advised that for those working from home temporarily home workstation assessments are not needed. Advice could be provided for home workers on completing their own basic assessment at home. Younger workers could well be living at home or in shared accommodation so are more likely to have to work where they can, as opposed to choosing where would be the most suitable place. As a result their workspace may have distractions and not allow for the ideal IT set-up.
Things to consider:
• Does the employee have the correct IT kit, for example screen, mouse?
• Does the employee have a desk or makeshift desk? Is space for a desk set-up available? Can a kitchen table be used, for example, if a desk isn’t available?
• Can the employee work comfortably? Will using cushions make the seating more comfortable?
• Does the employee know how to get help with IT or kit issues?
• Breaks should be taken from DSE work (a minimum of 5 minutes each hour).
• The employee should change position regularly, get-up and stretch.
• If an employee doesn’t have the correct work equipment, breaks should be taken every 25 minutes to stretch.
Source: Barbour