Health and safety guidance when home/remote working

Home/remote working

Many staff now work from home for significant periods of time. Such work will inevitably involve a very significant amount of computer-related activity.

University duty of care

The University still has a duty of care under health and safety law in relation to people home/remote working and has put in place a range of measures to manage the risks associated with this. These include updated policies and extensive guidance. In addition, the full range of support services, such as Occupational Health and Disability Services are still available to staff who are working remotely and experience issues.

A dedicated section of Safety Services website has been produced for documentation that staff can access and contains links to policies and guidance to support staff.

Reporting incidents

Incidents, near misses, and ill health should be reported in the usual way using the reporting form.

Breaks and wellbeing

It is important to take regular breaks and maintain positive wellbeing when working:

• take a micro-break (2-3 minutes) every 20 minutes
• take a break (5 minutes) every hour e.g. make a hot drink or walk around the room.
• do simple workstation exercises
• keep hydrated and drink water
• enjoy healthy snacks and avoid sugary or fatty foods
• stay connected and maintain social connections with your team, family, friends and community

You may need to take more breaks or alternate the type of work you are undertaking relative to how you would work when on campus. 

Working remotely can cause people to feel stressed or anxious and it is important to address such issues. Contact your line manager or Health and Safety Adviser for confidential help.

Training and downloads

The following downloads show how you can set up your workspace for more comfortable working:

• Workstation set up diagram
• Workstation exercises
• Risk-assessment checklist