Working from Home (WFH) is for now the new normal for most, the Office of National Statistics suggests that as many as 50% of us were working from home as of April 2020.
The simple act of sitting in a chair (8 hours a day) adds a significant strain on the body. Within the office environment, desk ergonomics aka “workstation health & safety” is provided by the company. With the majority of office workers now WFH till Spring 2021, how many of us have the correct set up?!
If you are like me, it took a while to find the right set up, I have a colleague who now has a yoga ball due to lower back pain. She is not alone, there’s actually been an increase in work induced injuries due to the incorrect set up:
1) Neck Pain
2) Lower Back Pain
3) Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
4) Eye Strain
According to Health & Safety Online, employers still have a duty of care to those WFH & states that there are no increased risks if people are WFH on a Temporary basis.
Under HSE regulations, Risk assessments are required if the
arrangement is actually long term…when do we assess what long term is?
Is there a need for clearer definition of when WFH goes from being temporary to long term?
