Is Your Remote Workforce Really Safe and Compliant? A Checklist for Employers

When we think about workplace safety, we often picture a factory floor or an office. But for many businesses, the "workplace" can be a home office, a client's premises, or the even the inside of a vehicle.

If you have employees who work remotely, drive on business, or work alone, you have specific legal duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and associated regulations. Here's what you should be checking.

Remote Workers

Working from home removes the daily visibility employers have over working conditions, but the duty of care doesn't disappear.

• Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessment — Has each home worker completed a DSE self-assessment? Is their desk, chair, screen, and lighting set up correctly?

• Electrical safety — Are they using company equipment that has been PAT tested? Have you advised them on safe use of electrical equipment at home?

• Working hours — Are they taking adequate breaks? Remote workers are at higher risk of overworking, which has implications for both physical and mental health.

• Mental health and isolation — Regular check-ins aren't just good management; they're a health and safety measure. Loneliness and stress are legitimate workplace risks.

• Emergency procedures — Do they know what to do in an emergency at their home workspace?

• Accidents - If they have an accident at home which is related to their working activities ie. tripped over their laptop cable - this still needs to be reported.

  
  

Drivers on Business

If an employee drives for work — even occasionally — you need more than a copy of their licence on file.

• Licence checks — Are you verifying driving licences at least annually? You can do this via the DVLA's online check service. Don't forget to check entitlement categories and any endorsements.

• Vehicle roadworthiness — If they use their own vehicle (a 'grey fleet' arrangement), are you checking MOT status, insurance that covers business use, and service history? A vehicle that's fine for the school run may not be fit for 40,000 business miles a year.

• Driver fitness — Does the employee hold a valid licence for the vehicle they're driving? Are there any medical conditions that should be declared to the DVLA? Are they aware of the rules around medication and driving?

• Journey planning — Do you have a policy that discourages driving while fatigued? Are employees expected to drive unrealistic distances back-to-back?

• Mobile phone policy — Is there a clear, enforced policy on hands-free use? Employer liability in road traffic incidents can be significant.

• Vehicle insurance — Employees using personal vehicles for business must have business use added to their policy. Many don't realise this, and many employers don't check.

Lone Workers

Lone working carries a unique set of risks because if something goes wrong, there's no one there to help.

• Lone worker risk assessment — Have you completed a specific risk assessment for lone working activities?

• Check-in system — Do lone workers have a defined check-in process? This could be a buddy system, a supervisor call, or a lone worker app. What happens if they don't check in?

• Communication — Do they always have a means of contact — mobile signal, a charged phone? Have you considered what happens in areas with no signal?

• Emergency procedures — Do they know what to do in a medical emergency, an aggressive client, or an accident? Have they received first aid training appropriate to their role?

• Out-of-hours working — If someone works alone outside core hours, are additional precautions in place?

• Violence and aggression — For those visiting clients or members of the public, has the risk of verbal or physical aggression been assessed and managed?

Many workers tick more than one of these boxes — an estate agent, for example, is a lone worker, a remote worker, and a business driver all at once. Identify which employees fall into multiple categories and ensure your risk assessments reflect the full picture.

If you're not sure where to start, or your current documentation needs a refresh, getting an independent review of your arrangements is a worthwhile investment — and demonstrates the kind of due diligence that matters if something ever goes wrong.

Please get in touch for a complimentary gap analysis.