Bosses told not to overlook health and safety regulations for homeworkers

Bosses have been told not to overlook the application of health and safety rules for employees who work from home.

The warning came from Norwich Union Risk Services (NURS) who said that employers must carry out suitable risk assessments to ensure that their staff are working in safe conditions.

Up to 3.5 million people in the UK work from home on a regular basis and Ashley Hutton, liability risk adviser at NURS, said that health and safety laws are still applicable to homeworkers and that firms have a legal obligation to ensure health and safety regulations are met.

"Most health and safety at work regulations apply equally to homeworkers as they do to those operating from their employer's premises. Risk assessments are no exception and mustn't be overlooked," he said.

Employers should make use of self-assessment forms to help identify dangers or use a qualified consultant to carry out detailed checks, he added.

Recently, Lloyds TSB warned that homeworkers should be covered by a suitable insurance package.