Employers have the same health and safety responsibilities for employees working at home as for any other workers, but if you’re working from home there are other implications of which you may not be aware of.

In this article we give you some guidance on the health and safety issues you need to consider when working remotely on a desk or computer.

Working environment

Your workspace should be warm and well-lit with adequate ventilation and there should be sufficient space for furniture and equipment for you to work comfortably.

Be aware of potential trip hazards from cables and leads and increased noise levels, for example from printers, which may affect your concentration.

You should have enough room at your desk to change position and vary movement. Try to keep frequently used items within easy reach.

If you have to read or refer to documents frequently, consider investing in a document holder rather than having them flat on the desk. This will help reduce head and neck movements.

Ideally, your chair should have a seat back height and tilt adjustment and lumber support. You should be able to adjust the height of the chair so that you can place your feet flat on the floor when working without too much pressure from the seat on the backs of your legs.

Computer work

When working on a computer, your eye-line should be just below the top of the screen and the screen should be positioned in front of you at approximately an arm’s length away.

If you work on a laptop, consider investing in a stand so that you are not constantly looking down at the screen.

Consider how comfortable you are when typing. You should be able to rest your wrists in front of the keyboard. A wrist rest may also provide additional comfort. If you use a laptop, consider using a separate keyboard and mouse.

Your mouse should be close to you and next to your keyboard. Be aware of arm overreaching, bent wrists and tense arms. Try not leave your hand on the mouse when not in use.

You should have support for your wrist and forearm when using the mouse – either from the surface of the desk or the arm of a chair. If not, consider investing in a support device.

ISM partner PhysioMed, has provided guidance looking at how to set up a home work station to avoid back pain, which you can follow.

Remember to break up long periods of screen work with rest breaks or changes in activity. Aim for at least a five minute rest break for every hour of work.

Change your focus or blink from time to time to avoid eye fatigue.