Quick answer
Include home workers in the risk assessment and put the necessary actions in place. Check the actual work, DSE setup, supplied equipment, environment, communication and emergency arrangements. For hybrid work, consider both locations rather than treating the office assessment as complete coverage.
Why a home-working agreement needs safety actions
A written permission to work remotely does not show that a worker has a suitable setup or can get help. HSE’s home-worker risk guidance requires a proportionate assessment covering the work at home. In most cases a home visit is not necessary; discussions and suitable assessment tools can help identify what is needed.
This guide focuses on office-type work. Home activities involving significant tools, substances or other hazards need assessment appropriate to those tasks.
Check both locations and who owns each action
| Area | Question for the worker and manager | Action to assign |
|---|---|---|
| DSE setup | Can the person work comfortably with suitable space, furniture and equipment? | Assess the home and workplace setup and resolve identified problems. |
| Work environment | Are work-related cables, access and supplied equipment managed safely? | Give suitable information and a defect-reporting route. |
| Workload and contact | Are priorities, support and availability clear? | Agree communication and review arrangements. |
| Emergency or loss of contact | Who should be contacted and what should happen? | Use a proportionate agreed procedure. |
HSE’s working-environment guidance covers equipment, slips and trips, emergencies and work-related incident reporting.
Implement the DSE findings rather than filing the checklist
Where DSE rules apply, assess the relevant individual setups and provide suitable information and training. HSE’s home DSE guidance says both home and workplace situations should be covered for hybrid users.
Suitable equipment depends on the assessment. Everyone does not automatically need identical office furniture, but using personal furniture is not proof that it is suitable. Where the assessment identifies necessary action, the worker cannot be charged for it under that guidance.
For NI, use HSENI’s DSE guidance and the separate NI regulations.
Keep communication useful and inclusive
Agree how work is allocated, when the manager is available and how a worker raises a concern. Maintain suitable team and individual contact without treating constant online presence as evidence of wellbeing.
HSE’s home-working stress guidance connects assessment with worker involvement, support and communication. Ask about the work factors that may be causing problems and act on them; a wellbeing message alone does not change an unmanageable workload.
Example: the office setup works, the home setup does not
A food-business administrator works two days at home. The office workstation was assessed, but the worker reports discomfort after long home-based booking sessions. The manager reviews the home task and setup, seeks competent help where needed and assigns the identified equipment and work-routine changes.
The action is checked with the worker after implementation. The manager also confirms how to report equipment faults and work-related incidents. Not every domestic accident is a work-reporting event; the circumstances and applicable criteria must be checked.
Review when something changes
- Location, equipment, work pattern or tasks.
- Discomfort, a defect, an incident or a new individual need.
- Evidence that contact or workload arrangements are ineffective.
Next steps
Review one hybrid worker’s home and workplace arrangements together. Record the actions, owner and follow-up, and agree a suitable alternative where safe home work cannot be achieved.
Use HSE’s home-working assessment guidance — The official guidance supports a proportionate assessment and practical action for home and hybrid workers.