Dealing with work accidents at home-office is somewhat different from dealing with accidents in the traditional workplace because they take place outside the employer’s direct supervision and, in most cases, in an environment that is not under the employer’s direct control. There are several specific challenges and rules that need to be considered from both the employee and employer perspective. Especially in light of national legislation such as the Slovak Act No. 124/2006 Coll. on Occupational Health and Safety, which obliges employers to ensure safe working conditions even during remote work.
From the employee’s point of view:
- Know the rules and responsibilities:
- Employee should be familiar with occupational health and safety rules even in a telework environment. This includes basic safety principles, proper use of work equipment, and ergonomic workstation setup.
- The conditions under which teleworking is carried out should also be clearly defined (e.g. working hours, compulsory breaks, recommendations for work area set-up).
- Immediate reporting of accidents:
- If an injury occurs while working from home, the employee should inform his or her employer immediately. This report should include details of the time and place of the injury, a description of the incident and, where appropriate, evidence that confirms that the injury occurred during the work activity (for example, photographs or testimony).
- Provide evidence:
- The employee should document the location of the accident and the circumstances under which the accident occurred. Photographs, videos, or other evidence may be helpful to prove that the accident actually happened while on the job.
- If necessary, the employee should seek medical attention and retain all medical documentation that can later be submitted as evidence in a workers’ compensation claim.
- Medical Treatment:
- If necessary, the employee should seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Even though the injury may seem minor, later complications may pose a problem in a claim for damages or compensation.
- Communication with the employer:
- The employee should maintain open and regular communication with the employer throughout the injury resolution process. This includes providing all necessary information, answering the employer’s questions, and cooperating with the investigation of the incident.
From the employer’s perspective:
- A clear policy for occupational health and safety in homeworking: The employer should have a clear policy for homeworking health and safety that includes procedures for dealing with workplace accidents. This policy should be communicated to employees and included in the employment contract or by-laws. The employer should also ensure that employees receive regular training on occupational health and safety. Training should include recommendations for a safe working environment at home (ergonomics, safety techniques, etc.).
- Accident investigation:
- If an employee reports an accident, the employer should immediately begin an investigation. This may include communicating with the employee, asking for photographs, videos or witnesses, and possibly visiting the scene of the accident if possible.
- The employer should assess whether the injury occurred during working hours and while performing work tasks, which may be key to assessing a workers’ compensation claim.
- Recording and reporting the injury:
- The employer is required to keep records of all work-related injuries, including those that occur while working from home. They must also report the accident to the insurer and, where required by legislation, to the competent authorities.
- Provision of support and compensation:
- If the accident occurred while performing work and the employer is liable, he must provide compensation for the work-related injury. This may include compensation for loss of earnings, medical expenses and other costs related to the accident.
- The employer should support the employee in the process of returning to work, which may include adjustments to working conditions or temporary relief.
- Prevention and improvement measures:
- After dealing with any workplace injury, the employer should evaluate the safety measures for homeworking and make any necessary changes or improvements to prevent similar incidents in the future. This may include updating by-laws, training and improving technical solutions (e.g. providing better equipment for homeworking).
- Proving that the injury was work-related:
- It can be difficult for an employee to prove that an injury occurred while on the job, since homeworking takes place outside of the traditional workplace. Therefore, the employer must consider all relevant evidence and circumstances.
- Control of the work environment:
- The employer does not have direct control over the employee’s home environment, which can make it difficult to assess safety risks and take preventative measures.
- Variety of home environments:
- Every home environment is different, which means that an employer cannot universally tailor occupational health and safety measures. Therefore, individual advice and support needs to be provided.
Dealing with workplace accidents in homeworking requires an approach based on communication, thorough record-keeping and consideration of all legal regulations. Both employer and employee must work together to ensure that accidents are dealt with fairly and efficiently, with the main objective is health and safety at work, wherever it is carried out.
