Home office - Things to know

Absolutely, because how else could you instruct all employees working from home? You can reach everyone, whether in the field or at home. This makes it easy for you to fulfill your occupational health and safety obligations.

Yes, the Occupational Health and Safety Act also applies in the home office and presents companies with the challenge of ensuring the safety and health of employees in the home working environment.

Occupational Health and Safety Act also in the home office – easy with sam® from secova

Occupational health and safety law, occupational health and safety measures, home office, occupational health and safety in the home office with sam®

• Requirements of the Occupational Health and Safety Act also in the home office
• Specific challenges and solutions for occupational health and safety in the home office
• How sam® supports companies in meeting health and safety requirements when working from home

Home office – legal basis and obligations

In recent years, working from home has increased significantly, which raises questions for many companies regarding the application of the Occupational Health and Safety Act in this context. The short answer is: Yes, the Occupational Health and Safety Act (ArbSchG) also applies to working from home. Companies are obliged to ensure the health and safety of employees in all workplaces, including the domestic working environment. This presents employers with new challenges, but also offers the opportunity to implement modern occupational health and safety solutions.

The Occupational Health and Safety Act forms the legal basis for the safety and health protection of employees at work. It obliges employers to assess hazards, take preventive measures and review these regularly. These obligations apply regardless of where the work is performed, i.e. even when working from home.

Implementation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act in the home office

• Risk assessment: Risk assessments must also be carried out for employees working from home. Special aspects such as ergonomic workplace design, technical equipment and mental stress must be taken into account.
• Occupational safety measures: Suitable protective measures must be taken based on the risk assessment. This includes, for example, providing ergonomic furniture, ensuring adequate lighting and instructing employees on healthy working from home.
• Training and communication: Employers must ensure that all employees are informed and trained on relevant health and safety topics, even when working from home. Digital solutions such as e-learning platforms or webinars are particularly suitable for this.

Role of occupational health and safety software

Modern occupational health and safety software such as sam® from secova can help companies to fulfill their obligations effectively, even when working from home. The software enables risk assessments to be carried out digitally, measures to be documented and employee training to be organized. It also facilitates communication and the exchange of information with employees working from home.

Further questions or interested in getting to know sam® from secova?

Headaches, neck pain, and accidents can also occur at your home office. Only those who know what dangers are present and what to do about them can protect themselves adequately.

In addition to adhering to working hours and breaks, the ergonomic rules for the home office also apply. Data protection is also an important issue.

EHS software for employees working from home must meet specific requirements in order to be effective. Here are the essential aspects that such software should cover:

• User-friendliness and accessibility: The software must be easy to use and understand so that employees can use it easily and immediately. A good example of this is the sam® software from secova, which is easier to use than an ATM and can be accessed both in the home office and on the move.
• Compliance with legal requirements: The Occupational Health and Safety Act also applies in the home office. Companies must ensure that they also guarantee the health and safety of their employees in the home working environment. This includes risk assessments, ergonomic workplace design, technical equipment and training on healthy working from home.
• Digital instruction and training: EHS software must offer the option of conducting training and instruction digitally. This enables employees to learn relevant health and safety topics flexibly and from any location. The sam® software offers e-learning platforms and webinars that enable audit-proof documentation of training courses.
• Ergonomic workplace design: The software should provide information and instructions on ergonomic workplace design. This includes the correct placement and adjustment of screens, lighting, sitting posture and other accessories. These measures help to minimize the health risks of working at a computer for long periods of time.
• Communication and information: Good EHS software facilitates communication and the exchange of information with employees working from home. It ensures that all relevant information and updates can be communicated quickly and efficiently.

In summary, EHS software for the home office should be user-friendly, legally compliant and comprehensive in terms of training, risk assessments and ergonomic workplace design in order to meet the special requirements of working from home. The sam® software from secova fulfills all these criteria and offers a practical solution for modern occupational health and safety in the home office.

More information on the topics of EHS and HSE:
EHS and EHS software and its importance?
EHS management with EHS Manager online software

HSE and HSE software and its importance?
HSE online software and management

With sam® you can ensure the instructions at any place and at any time – because you only need the hardware (such as a laptop) and an up-to-date browser.