Equipment

[ch 6: pages 35-36]

Normally the employer is responsible for providing, installing and maintaining equipment if the homeworking is contractual.

Electrical equipment

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 requires electrical systems to be constructed and maintained, so far as is reasonably practicable, to prevent danger. The employer is generally only responsible for electrical equipment which it supplies.

If the employer does not carry out home visits it may be that employee has to bring equipment into the office for maintenance or inspection.

If staff are planning on using their own equipment they should still let management know so that it can be included in any health and safety risk assessment.

Breakdown of equipment

If homeworkers experience a problem with their IT equipment and are no longer able to work they should immediately contact their line manager.

It is useful if policies state what should happen if the homeworker is unable to get on with their job. For example, if it is a serious problem that will not easily be resolved, at what point would they be expected to come into the office to carry on working. If they have to fill out timesheets how will their hours be calculated if they have lost several hours in the day due to the system crashing?

Newcastle Building Society’s policy states that the first hour of such “down time” can be classed as working time, but any time above that must be made up at a later date.