Home workers putting health at risk

Workers are risking their health by working from home in inappropriate office set-ups, according to new research.

A survey of 1,004 UK workers carried out by retailer Furniture123.co.uk has revealed that while 41% take work home with them at least once per week, the vast majority do not do so from a proper table.

Just one in three (34%) of those who work from home claim to do their work at a desk.

And only one in five (19%) do so from an office chair in their home – suggesting many could be risking problems such as repetitive strain injury and back injuries, due to poor posture.

Worryingly, one in five (24%) even claim to work from their sofa when doing overtime in their homes.

Mark Kelly, marketing manager at Furniture123.co.uk, said: “The data shows that, unfortunately, many workers are really risking their physical health to get their work done.

“The odd hour or two slumped in front of a laptop on the sofa might not seem like it will cause a big problem in the long-term but over time, this can cause issues with posture and repetitive strain injury.

“It is vital that, if working from home is a regular thing, workers have a proper office chair and either a desk or laptop to work from, to allow them to ensure their screen or laptop is at the correct height, their posture will remain straight and their arms will be at the right angle while typing.

“All of these are vital to preventing some of the problems associated with computer-based working.”

The research showed one in three (32%) of those who failed to work from either a desk or office chair claimed this lack of a proper set-up was due to not having enough space in their homes for this type of furniture.

The youngest demographic of Millennial workers (those aged 18 – 24 years) were the most likely to be risking their health by not working from an appropriate work station at home.

Not using proper office furniture when working from home can lead to health complaints.