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Protecting home workers

If you have people working from home as a result of the pandemic, HSE has advice that will help you protect them. Employers have the same health and safety responsibilities for home workers as for any other workers.   When someone is working from home, permanently or temporarily, issues you should consider include: lone working without supervision working with display screen equipment (DSE) - see our short video keeping in touch to recognise signs of stress and mental health problems Read our advice on how to protect home workers.

COVID-19 spot checks and inspections update: a new Variant of Concern is spreading in some parts of the UK

The Variant of Concern first identified in India has been found in small clusters around the UK. In response, the government is working with relevant local councils on surge testing, and to support these efforts HSE is speaking directly to businesses during spot checks.

HSE is carrying out increased spot checks and inspections in areas where transmission rates are rising, to help arrest the spread of the new Variant of Concern.

During the spot checks and inspections, HSE will provide guidance where required but, where businesses are not managing the risk, immediate action will be taken.

All businesses should have a COVID risk assessment and it should be updated regularly. If you are unsure on the measures you should have in place, please see our guidance on being COVID-secure.

Further information on spot checks and inspections is available on our website.

COVID-19 guidance and updates

HSE's website has the latest coronavirus-related guidance and information.

For a full range of COVID-related information and advice visit HSE’s coronavirus pages. These include information on:

• Social distancing in the workplace
  Social distancing means keeping people apart to help reduce the spread of coronavirus
  
  

• Vulnerable workers

  How to protect workers in high-risk groups, clinically extremely vulnerable people and pregnant workers
  
  

• Keeping workplaces safe as restrictions are eased

  Advice on the roadmap out of lockdown, returning to work, vaccination and testing

Further guidance is available for England, Scotland and Wales.

Company fined £787,500 after worker suffers loss of thumb and fingers

A food manufacturer has been fined after a worker was trapped by a mixing machine.

Young’s Seafood Limited were fined after the worker's thumb and two of their fingers were severed in the machine, which had continued to run when the safety guard was lifted and failed to respond when the emergency stop was pressed.

Read this press release for full details of this prosecution.

Our website has guidance on plant and equipment maintenance.

Other recent enforcement news includes:

• Company and director sentenced after two workers injured in falls from height

• Worker sustained serious injures falling through an asbestos roof

Latest job vacancies

Develop a career at HSE and help to protect lives and livelihoods. For details of the highlighted opportunities, follow the links below:  Fire Statement Assessor (closes 2 June) HR Recruitment Operations Manager (closes 11 June) Information Management Practitioner (closes 13 June) For a look at all our available vacancies, please visit this webpage.   You can keep up to date with all the latest opportunities by signing up to our Jobs eBulletin.