The pandemic changed the working world forever with new ways of completing responsibilities needed to keep the economy and businesses moving. This led to more and more people working remotely and now four in every ten workers do their job remotely in 2023. Workers from home now have greater freedom to complete chores during their breaks and have more efficient working days with no commute into the office required.

Injuries in the workplace are extremely common with threats seemingly around every corner. Statistics from the Labour Force Survey revealed that there were around 565,000 workplace injuries in 2021/22 but what many people don’t realise is that these can take place in the home now employees are contracted to work there.

So, if you sustain a personal injury in your home, it begs the question as to who’s responsible and whether you can claim compensation for this type of personal injury. To help, we’ve put together a useful guide that should hold all the information you need if you’re currently navigating a personal injury caused at home whilst you’re working.

What are the common types of injuries that can happen when working from home?

Slips, trips and falls

A home office set-up is likely to have plenty of wires lying around, which could lead to you tripping over them and injuring yourself. There are easy ways to reduce this risk, however, such as using cable ties, hooks or running wires through the wall – although the latter may be outside of your budget.

Stress

With your home being your workspace, you may find it hard to switch off. This can lead to stress and other mental health issues, so you must find a way to create a healthy work/life balance.

Eye strain

Remote workers will usually sit at a desk throughout the day looking at a computer and an improper set-up could lead to your eyes getting strained. A good way to get around this is to take short breaks away from your screens or try to blink more often when looking at your computer screen.

Back or neck pain

Sitting at a desk incorrectly can lead to back or neck pain, which could lead to you being unable to get out of bed. Try to sit with the correct posture and use back supports to keep your body in a good position whilst you work.

Who is to blame: you or your employer?

As an employer, it is their duty of care to keep you safe whilst you work. This means that if they don’t do the following to keep you safe when you work from home, then they may be liable for your personal injury:

Provide adequate equipment, so you can do your work in a safe manner
Complete or ask you to complete a risk assessment, so you’re both aware of the dangers
Never ask you to complete a task that may cause harm or injury
Ensure you’re not being overworked to the point of extreme stress that leads to you needing time off for your mental wellbeing

What should you do after suffering a personal injury when working remotely?

Following your injury caused by working at home, the recovery period may be frustrating but doing the following may help to alleviate any pain and get your life back on track faster:

Take pain-relief medication
Use your lunch break for physiotherapy
Only return to work when you’re capable of doing so (returning any earlier could make your injury worse)
See a doctor if your symptoms worsen.