With new technological developments, high building rents, and a growing diversity in workers, increasingly businesses are finding new and innovative approaches to work. These include using your own device at work and flexible working processes such as homeworking.
Bring your own device to work
Bring your own device (BYOD) is a relatively new and increasingly popular workplace practice, where companies offer staff the opportunity to use their own devices at work. These devices include laptops, notebooks, tablets and smartphones.
Employees are often more familiar with their own devices and these are likely to be newer and more technologically advanced than those provided at work. For employers, the main advantage of BYOD is the potential to reduce their capital expenditure on IT equipment. In some of the firms where BYOD is common practice, employees use their own devices and the employer provides software enabling them to work securely from a virtual desktop.
The benefits of establishing a BYOD policy include:
Modern devices, such as tablets and smartphones offer increased flexibility, with the ability to access emails and information outside of normal business hours and while away from the office. For employees who travel for work, the flexibility that BYOD offers can help them be more productive.
Like most good ideas, there are downsides to implementing a BYOD policy. The increased flexibility of being able to work outside of normal business hours brings additional health risks (ie increased stress due to not being able to “turn off” work), which senior staff will need to carefully manage.
For many employers, the primary concern is data security. If your organisation is considering BYOD, then you may need to look at where information is saved (eg on servers or devices), if anyone else apart from your employees access the BYOD devices (eg do family members share a tablet or home computer?) and what happens when devices are lost or stolen. Some organisations have implemented software that can remotely wipe records if a device is lost or stolen.
The introduction of new equipment can also present new risks, which employers need to assess and manage. Laptops, notebooks and tablets are all forms of display screen equipment (DSE) and as such, fall under Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992. Under this legislation employers must assess the risks and provide employees with information about any risks. This legal duty applies to any devices used for work; including employees’ own devices.
If your organisation has not yet used some of these new devices (eg tablets, smartphones), then there are a couple of points you may need to take into account.
Working from home
Home workers are covered by health and safety legislation in the same way as employees in offices. While working from home offers employees and employers many benefits, organisations have a duty of care to look after their staff, even if they are working from the comfort of their own home. These duties include:
DSE assessments can be used to check the suitability of an employee’s home workspace and identify any actions. Where employees only have a sofa or dining room table to work from, a suitable desk and office chair (eg with five caster wheels and adjustable back support) may be required before they can safely work from home. If additional furniture or equipment is required before an employee can safely work from home, then it is important to discuss any actions with the employee to check whether they are practical and suitable.
When discussing home working it is important to consider how any equipment will be provided and maintained. Any electrical equipment (eg laptops, printers) will need to be regularly inspected.
If working from home is feasible, then there are many benefits for both employers and employees. These include:
Conclusion
In the modern office it is easy to see how BYOD and working from home could complement each other and offer a range of benefits to employers and employees. However, not all organisations are the same, so the pros and cons of any new approach need to be weighed up. If your organisation is considering any of these modern approaches, then it is important to talk to employees, plan ahead and carefully manage any changes in the workplace. There should also be time allocated to review the impact of these changes to see if lessons can be learned and whether further adjustments need to be made.
Vehicles have become work places for some employees. In order to avoid repetitive driver injury, drivers should be trained to adjust their car seats properly. A suggested sequence of adjustments is as follows. (Some areas may not be applicable depending on the vehicle)
If employees have a problem with the seating in their vehicles ask them to discuss it with their manager.
If you require assistance, please contact us.
Are Electronic Cigarettes Legal at work?
An Electronic cigarette or e cigarette does not contain tobacco or produce passive smoke. Passive smoke generated from tobacco cigarettes and cigars is the prime concern of the smoking ban because non-smokers are forced to inhale tobacco smoke without choice.
The electronic cigarette is not governed by the smoking ban or restricted by tobacco laws due to the cigarette construction and contents.
In terms of the law, it is perfectly legal to ‘smoke’ or vape electronic cigarettes in nightclubs, restaurants, cinemas, bingo halls, bowling alleys, buses and just about anywhere.
Smoking at Work
Tobacco smoking in the workplace is restricted and the law enforced by the Health Act which bans customers, members of staff, consultants and visitors from smoking in public places and on their premises.
The Health Act does not affect the use of electronic cigarettes. Using an e cigarette is not classified as ‘Smoking’ as nothing is burned, but is termed ‘vaping’ just like a regular nicotine inhaler with the added benefit of the ability to inhale a realistic cigarette tasting, visible vapour. Legally, people are permitted to use an electronic cigarette in the workplace including work vehicles and offices.
However, if consuming food or drink in the work area is not allowed and depending on the type of occupation, an employer may not approve the use of electronic cigarettes while working or carrying out certain tasks.
It will be up to employers to determine when and where this device is used, there may be some opposition from members of staff, particularly in relation to the potential health effects as a mist is produced when used, although there is no evidence to suggest that the mist is likely to affect anyone.
Consider discussing this topic with members of staff as some may be uncomfortable with the device, such as pregnant women.
If you need further advice please contact us.
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Risk assessments are an important part of the health and safety management system.
Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 requires employers to assess the risks to their employees while they are at work. They also need to consider the risks to non-employees such as contractors and the public. The self-employed have a similar duty.
Where there are five or more employees, the significant findings of the assessment must be recorded.
Specific risk assessments must be carried out for young workers, pregnant women and nursing mothers. Sometimes there will be the need to consider other regulations which also require risk assessment, such as those dealing with asbestos, ionising radiation and hazardous chemicals.
Top Tips for Effective Risk Assessment
To do a risk assessment, you need to understand what, in your business, might cause harm and decide whether you are doing enough to prevent that harm. Once you have decided that, you need to identify and prioritise putting in place appropriate and sensible control measures.
Start by carrying out the 5 steps to successful risk assessments:
Top tips:
Risk assessment is not a paperwork exercise; it’s about protecting your staff.
Review your risk assessment policies and procedures now.
If you need support contact us!
