Starting a Food Business from Home

Starting a food business from home can be a rewarding business venture. However, it is only for those committed to maintaining the highest level of hygiene and food safety. Producing food in your home for many people to eat is a serious undertaking. It is not the same as cooking for the family! You will be entering into a highly regulated business area with serious legal obligations. Food business operators are legally responsible for producing food that is safe.

 

Food Hygiene Legislation

Operating a food business from home does not exempt your business from the requirements of the food hygiene legislation (Regulation EC 852/2004). This legislation sets out requirements for:

• Registration of the business with the Health Service Executive (HSE).
• Hygiene rules to be complied with.
• Training.
• Food safety management system based on the principles of HACCP (Hazard analysis and critical control points) to ensure the production of safe food.
• Traceability systems and recall procedures in the event of unsafe food being placed on the market.

Where food of animal origin, e.g. meat, poultry, eggs, fish, unpasteurised milk, is being processed, you may also need to comply with the legislation setting down specific hygiene rules for foods of animal origin (Regulation 853/2004). In some cases, the business may require approval by the HSE.

You should contact your local HSE office as soon as possible to check if your home is suitable for the intended food business activities. Contact details for local HSE offices are available HERE (Contact details if you’ve made a complaint about a food business and want to follow it up with the local food inspector, or if you need to register your business).

 

Additional Legislation

Compliance with additional legislation may be required depending on the type of product which you intend to make, e.g. labelling, additives, marketing standards for eggs, nutrition and health claims etc.

Full details of all food legislation can be found on FSAI website page Food Legislation.

 

Possible Pitfalls when Operating a Food Business from Home

Starting a food business from home can present specific problems that you should be aware of.

1) Food can become contaminated due to:

• Normal domestic activities – there must be proper segregation of business and domestic food preparation and activities.
• Poor hygiene – not washing hands properly or frequently enough, particularly after using the toilet, handling refuse etc., dirty cloths and tea towels, poor cleaning. practices, dirty equipment/utensils etc.
• Working when ill, particularly when suffering from vomiting/diarrhoea, infected skin wounds, flu, coughing and infections of the mouth, throat, eyes or ears.
• Changing/feeding babies in food preparation areas.
• People or pets entering food preparation areas.
• Facilities being too small.

2) Production of too much food for the size of the area.

3) Insufficient/unsuitable refrigerator space to keep food chilled.

4) Lack of equipment necessary to cool food fast enough after cooking.

5) The type of food being produced or the process involved presents too high a risk to take place safely in a domestic kitchen.

6) Food may be supplied to a vulnerable group, e.g. babies and young children, pregnant women and the elderly.

 

Food Labelling

Food which is prepacked by the manufacturer before being brought for sale at a farmers market or other food stall is subject to the full labelling rules. All of the mandatory information, must then appear on the product label. More information on what is required to be declared on the label is available in FSAI factsheet Food Information for Consumers at Markets Operated by Country Markets Limited. These rules also apply where it is intended to sell your produce in local retail premises.

 

Additional food safety related useful information can be found on FSAI website.

 

Please remember – it is a legal requirement that staff who are involved in a food environment are trained and/or supervised commensurate with their work activity!

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Food Safety (HACCP) courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

Online Health and Safety Training and its Benefits

Online Health and Safety training offers a strong return on investment for employers and a quick way to get employees up to date with workplace safety. Online courses are also tailored to specific areas of workplace safety. They can ensure employees are getting the exact information they need to do their job safely. In this article, we take a closer look at the benefits of online training for workplace safety.

 

The Importance of Online Training for Workplace Safety

Studies show online education is growing by 5-10% each year as more and more employers move their training methods online. According to the Irish Central Statistics Office (CSO) there was a sharp increase in the use of education portals/websites during COVID-19 with over one fifth (21%) Communicating with instructors or students using educational websites/portals, an increase of seven percentage points in 2019. These numbers remain high even after the COVID-19 pandemic. With the rise of digital technology in all areas of our lives this trend is far from declining.

Online Health and Safety training is a convenient way for staff to learn about their safety in the workplace. It removes many constraints which often hinder classroom training. This type of training is also very specific. It usually focuses on the precise lessons needed to stay safe in the workplace. From food handling and fire safety to workplace stress and working at heights, such online courses are always relevant to the workplace and ensure employers are abiding by certain laws and regulations.

Let’s take a look at some of the main benefits of online training.

 

7 Key Benefits of Online Training for Workplace Safety

1. Online Training Draws from High Quality Resources

Online training usually draws inspiration from the best interactive experiences online and incorporate these learnings into an online course. As a result, online training can sometimes include video conferencing or webinars and other opportunities which enable staff to engage remotely. Simply put, this consistent high quality and extent of resources is rarely guaranteed in the classroom.

2. Learning Practical Skills for Real World Experience

Employees develop soft skills through online training and practical lessons which they can put into practice at work. These lessons often come from real experience which can feel more relevant than the theory which you might hear about in a classroom. Online courses also use simulations, scenarios and multiple choice questions to ensure these lessons are always relevant to real world scenarios. This also highlights the objective of online training – to give employee the exact education they need to know to do their job safely.

3. Employees Often Retain More through Online Training

Research shows how many employees are likely to forget what they learn in the classroom. It makes sense when you think back to school days and just how little algebra or poetry you might remember! Memory retention is boosted by relevant experiences which can be applied straight away. With this in mind, online training is often split into areas of knowledge and structured to increase relevancy. This increased relevancy means employees will more likely learn and recall the contents of an online course than they might in a classroom.

4. Online Courses Can Be Scheduled for Any Time/Place

Standard classroom training is always set at a specific time but co-ordinating this time is near impossible in such a fast-moving world. There is also a time loss for going to and from a classroom. Many employees are likely to feel restricted in a classroom environment. Online training can take place at any time and enables employees to undergo the training at their own pace. It’s a win-win situation for both employers and employees. In addition, it also removes the requirement for having a classroom to facilitate the training.

5. Immediate Access to Support and Resources

Online training provides immediate access to a large number of resources which allows them to find answers at the time of learning. Classroom training takes place in a specific location where employees are most often unable to access training resources in real time. This means employees don’t need to wait until the next class to ask questions and can address any immediate challenges or concerns before moving on with the training. Online training can use forums or social media groups to provide extra support and provide employees with a place whether they can share tips or ask questions.

6. Online Training is Designed for Different Learning Preferences

Every audience consists of different people with varying abilities and backgrounds. However, more recent generations have become accustomed to smart technology and the online world. These employees are also likely to have acquired skills through Google, YouTube and apps in the past and appreciate this method of learning. This is why the rate of attention and engagement with online training is often said to be higher than a classroom. Online training is designed to cater to all learning preferences.

7. High Levels of Engagement and Responsibility

Some online training courses are gamified which means they feature levels, rewards and certain mechanics which encourage progress. These courses seek to encourage the learner to progress and keep going until they complete each lesson. They can also monitor performance along the way and feel more invested or responsible for participating in the course. It is this high engagement which should be attractive to employers and the fact they can outsource this time consuming process to a trusted online training platform.

 

Working with a training company

Working with an online training platform can help employers lighten the load and allow the experts to take care of the training. However, it’s important to choose a platform which abides by laws and regulations and incorporates these requirements into the online training. For instance, MyElearnSafety offer courses online health and safety training for Food Safety which adhere to the principles of the internationally recognised Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP). It also offers Fire Safety Awareness, Manual Handling Awareness, Paediatric First Aid just to name a few.

Check out MyElearnSafety today and we can get everyone up to speed on their workplace safety!

Safe Food Preparation Tips

Every person working in a food-handling industry must maintain a high level of safe food handling. This article is going to provide some basic safe food preparation tips.

The primary objective of the hygiene rules is to ensure a high level of food safety to protect customers. It covers the activities carried out by food service outlets that prepare and sell food to be consumed directly by customers or wrapped and pre-packaged before they are sold.

You can prevent the spread of food poisoning bacteria through good food handling practices and by maintaining good personal hygiene.

 

Burning Hot Tips

• Cook food thoroughly. The core temperature should reach 75°C instantaneously or equivalent, e.g. 70°C for two minutes. The core is taken as the centre or thickest part of the food.
• Keep hot food hot. Keep hot food in a hot holding cabinet (above 63°C). This is outside the danger zone.
• Lukewarm food is dangerous. Keeping food only warm is a perfect environment for bacteria to grow.
• Cooked food not stored above 63ºC should be used up within two hours of cooking.
• First In First Out. Ensure the first batch of cooked food placed in the hot holding cabinet is served first.
• Only reheat, i.e. regeneration, once.
• Reheat to piping hot at 70°C at the core of the food.
• Discard hot held food leftover at the end of the day.

 

Ice Cold Tips

• Keep cold food cold. Store in a refrigerated display unit (below 5°C). This is outside the danger zone so bacteria will not multiply.
• Only freeze food once. Once food is defrosted, bacteria can multiply. If this is frozen again, the amount of bacteria could be at a dangerous level.
• Defrost thoroughly. If the centre of the food is still frozen it may not be fully cooked before serving and some bacteria may survive.
• Date leftovers and as a general rule, discard after two days. Salads and sandwich fillings leftover at the end of the day may be kept for use for the following day provided they are covered and remain at refrigeration temperatures.
• Use up the leftovers first and avoid mixing them with freshly prepared salads or sandwich fillings.
• If cooling cooked food for refrigerated storage – cool food quickly but let the steam evaporate from the food first before covering and placing in the refrigerator. Cutting the food into smaller portions or spreading in a shallow dish will facilitate quicker cooling.

 

Good Safe Food Handling Practices

• Never allow raw food to come into contact with cooked or ready-to-eat foods.
• Store raw foods separately from cooked and ready-to-eat foods.
• Alternatively, store raw food on the bottom shelf in the fridge and store cooked and ready-to-eat food on the top shelves.
• Keep food covered or store it in sealed food containers.
• Wash your hands between handling raw and cooked/ ready-to-eat foods.
• Use separate work areas, utensils and equipment for preparing raw and cooked/ready-to-eat foods. If this is not possible, clean and disinfect utensils and work surfaces carefully between these tasks.
• Ensure that your service cloth is kept clean and is replaced frequently.

 

Good Personal Hygiene

Good personal hygiene is one of the most important practices to ensure safe food.

• Wash hands regularly
  • Wash your hands thoroughly using hot water and liquid soap:
    • Before starting work
    • Before handling cooked or ready-to-eat food
    • Before using disposable gloves
    • After handling raw food
    • After using the toilet
    • After handling rubbish
    • After smoking
    • After touching your hair or face, sneezing, coughing and using a handkerchief
    • After performing routine cleaning tasks
• Be clean and tidy
  • Be clean and tidy and wear clean protective clothing such as an apron or overall when handling or serving food.
  • Keep hair clean and covered under a cap or hairnet. Long hair must be tied up.
  • Keep nails clean and short.
  • Don’t wear strong perfume, nail varnish or excessive make-up.
  • Restrict your jewellery to a plain wedding band and small earrings.
• Treat food with care
  • Do not handle food unnecessarily – use tongs where possible.
  • Do not pick your nose, lick your fingers, taste food with your fingers, eat, chew gum, cough or sneeze near food that you are preparing or serving.
  • Cover cuts and sores with a blue waterproof dressing.
  • Inform your immediate supervisor if you have diarrhoea or an upset stomach. If you are ill you should not prepare or handle food but may perform alternative duties until the illness has passed.

Adherence to these safe food practices is essential in any food safety business. However, there is no reason why safe food handling should not be practiced in your home as well. SefeFood has some additional advices for kitchen hygiene and food safety for domestic kitchens.

 

Please remember – it is a legal requirement that staff who are involved in a food environment are trained and/or supervised commensurate with their work activity!

Myelearnsafety offers fully online Food Safety (HACCP) courses.

To find out more, please check our Courses page.

Alternatively, should you need any additional information, please do not hesitate to let us know via email info@elearn.ie

Safe Food Handling and What Food Handlers Need to Know

In a food business, a food handler may do many different things such as making, cooking, preparing, serving, packing, displaying and storing food. The term ‘food handler’ mainly refers to people who are in direct contact with open food as part of their work. In addition, it also includes anyone who is in contact with surfaces where open food is handled. With this in mind, anyone that works with preparing, cooking, packing or delivering food is considered a food handler. All food handlers are responsible to ensure safe food handling at all times. The food safety regulations require businesses in Ireland to train and educate their staff in order to ensure safe food handling..

In this article, we briefly consider some of the most important concepts of food safety training.

 

Good Personal Hygiene can Prevent Food Poisoning and Ensure Safe Food

Personal hygiene is incredibly important for food handlers as it greatly reduces the risk of food contamination. This involves doing whatever it takes to prevent their body or clothing from coming into contact with the food or any surfaces that the food will contact. It should go without saying that clean clothing should be used at all times. Food handlers should never smoke, spit or even eat near any unprotected food. There should also be consistent effort to avoid unnecessary contact with the food. Work clothes should be appropriate for staff duties and protect food from contamination. Work clothes should minimise skin coming into contact with food and prevent hairs, fibres and the contents of pockets (which can carry bacteria) getting into food. Ideally, clothing should be light-coloured with no external pockets. Light colours uniforms show dirt clearly.

 

Washing Your Hands on a Regular Basis is Necessary to ensure Safe Food Handling

Food handlers are required to wash their hands before and after handling raw or ready-to-eat foods. It’s also important to wash hands immediately after using a bathroom, coughing, sneezing, smoking, touching face, handling cash, etc. In fact, hands should be washed as often as necessary. As a rule of thumb, this means, before and after any activity whilst on food handling duty. Washing hands with soap and warm water vital in preventing contamination of food by food handlers. To dry hands, paper towels from a dispenser,  or cabinet roller towels should be used. Please note – wearing gloves does not replace hand washing. Hands should be washed before putting gloves on, between glove changes and after gloves are removed. Hand washing is one of the most important procedures in safe food handling.

 

Bacteria Multiplies Between 5˚C and 63˚C

Temperatures between 5˚C and 63˚C is when food-borne bacteria is likely to multiply. It takes just a few hours in this zone for bacteria to grow to dangerous levels and any such food needs to be discarded. This means food handlers should ensure refrigerators are set below the above temperature to prevent, or at least reduce, the growth of any bacteria on food. Similarly, when it comes to keeping food warm, the temperature of the food must exceed 63˚C.

 

Special Attention Should Be Given to High-Risk Foods

Food handlers should know that some foods are more high-risk than others and this is especially true for fresh seafood and raw poultry. However, fruit and vegetables are equally susceptible. All fruit and vegetables must be thoroughly washed before use. All food handlers need to know how to properly handle different types of food to reduce the risks associated with bacteria and contamination.

 

There is a Way to Freeze and Defrost Food Correctly

Food handlers should always freeze food as quickly as possible to ensure it remains fresh and does not spoil. Freezing food essentially slows down the growth of bacteria. The best and safest way to defrost food is to defrost frozen food in the fridge. Microwave ovens can also be used (by using appropriate defrosting settings). Once defrosted, the food should be used as soon as possible. However, once the food is cooked to over 75° it can be stored in the fridge again but not longer than 2 days. Once cooked food can also be frozen. It is important to note that defrosted food should never be refrozen unless first cooked.

 

There is Also a Way to Store Food Correctly

Most people don’t even realise the importance of how food is stored and the order in which this food is handled. For example, the uncooked items (high-risk items) including poultry and seafood should always be placed at the bottom which prevents them from leaking onto other items. Cooked food should be placed on top of these items. It’s also important to clean any spills immediately and do a deep clean as often as possible.

 

Great Care is Needed to Ensure Safe Food Handling at All Times

Great care and attention should always be given to the manner in which food is handled. For example, food handlers should always clean utensils and knives to ensure safe food handling. It’s important not to use the same utensils with uncooked food as you have for cooked food. Similarly, food handlers should never use the same utensils with different types of produce. All food items should be cut and prepared on surfaces designed to handle specific food items. This is why kitchens use a colour-coded system for handling different food.

 

The Minimum Temperature for Cooking Safely

To ensure that food is cooked thoroughly, the temperature at the core of the food (this is the thickest part of the food) must be 75°C or higher, which will kill any bacteria present. Sometimes, it’s often necessary to cook food at a higher temperature. Good food thermometers are often needed to get an accurate reading in this regard. Either way, food handlers need to know exactly how to ensure food is properly cooked at all times.

 

Know When Food is Safe and Discard When It’s Gone Off

The five senses can help indicate when food is no longer safe to consume. This is certainly the case when food smells terribly unpleasant. Discoloration, mould or strange particulars on food is without any doubt a bad sign. If a food handler is unsure of what to do, it’s always best to throw the food away. Never assume that the food is safe for eating, even if it looks and ‘feels’ good. The food safety training is really the best way to help educate food handlers on how to go about this side of the process.

 

Food Safety Training is Not Just a Legal Requirement

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) provides a set of rules to which all food businesses must adhere. In fact, food businesses are legally required to train staff in safe food handling and employ a management system that complies fully with these guidelines. Inspections on behalf of the FSAI do happen from time to time and food businesses need to have food safety certificates to verify their food handlers are trained on the relevant principles.

By law, food handlers must receive adequate supervision, instruction, or training in food hygiene for the work they do. In addition, a food business must be able to demonstrate that it has done everything within its power to safeguard consumer health. This is known as ‘due diligence’!

 

What Training is Required for Food Handlers in Ireland?

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) is the recognised tool which enables food handlers to spot and analyse food safety hazards. Food safety training plays an important role in proper implementation of HACCP procedures. There are different levels of food safety training. The food safety training is designed to equip food handlers with relevant skills and knowledge that safeguards food from anything that can cause harm. That being said, certification is merely a benefit of these courses. The food safety training is a means of ensuring food handlers are taking the right approach to food handling. Receiving a certificate is just a bonus.

 

To see a full list of food safety courses and deals available please check out MyElearnSafety. In addition to our safe food handling courses, we offer a wide range of online Health and Safety courses such as Fire Safety, Manual Handling, First Aid and many more.

Safe Catering Pack – A Friendly Approach to HACCP

Are you starting a food business? Are you overwhelmed with different areas you need to know in terms of food safety? Or you are an existing business in need to simplify or develop your food safety system? Well, look no more as the Safe Catering Pack developed by Food Safety Authority of Ireland is a friendly approach to HACCP. This simple tool helps caterers to develop a system to manage food safety and comply with the food hygiene regulations. It presents options for businesses to choose how they are going to do this.

 

Safe Catering Pack

The pack was developed with help and expertise from the food industry and environmental health officers. It is based on the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point). HACCP is a process that helps you look at how you handle food and introduce procedures to make sure the food you produce is safe to eat.

 

The pack was designed for catering businesses. It may also be used by retailers who have a catering function within their business. The pack can be used by businesses that have not yet developed their own food safety management system. In addition,  it may also be used by businesses to improve existing systems.

By working through the workbook you will step by step develop your unique food safety management plan. This plan is literally your road map to managing food safety for your business. Once the workbook is complete you can manage food safety on a daily basis by using the food safety record books. The record books allow you to check that food safety hazards are being controlled.

 

Starting a Food Business

Starting a business can be exhilarating and wildly fulfilling. However, it can be quite complicated, and may challenge you in ways you had not imagined. Knowing the challenges and problems you may encounter in your start-up can help you to prepare for the unexpected, and possibly help avoid common pitfalls. The Safe Catering Pack developed by Food Safety Authority is a simple straightforward guide to help you to develop a system to manage food safety and comply with the food hygiene regulations.

If you would like to purchase a FSAI Safe Catering Pack you can do so HERE.

 

Food Safety Training

Please remember! It is a legal requirement that all staff who are involved in a food environment are trained and/or supervised commensurate with their work activity!

So get trained now! Myelearnsafety.com offers fully online food safety courses. You don’t have to complete any of the food safety courses in one sitting. You can study whenever suits you and you can take breaks when required.  The system will remember where you have stopped so you will be able to continue from that point on once you return to your studies. So you can study 20 minutes today, 20 minutes tomorrow and so on or whatever suits your needs as you will have 24/7 access for 1 year (365 days) to the course.

Additional information about individual courses can be found on our Courses page.

Are there Food Safety Requirements for a Childcare Provider?

The Environmental Health Association of Ireland (EHAI) recommends that where a childcare service provides food to children, relevant staff are required to have food safety training.

The childcare provider needs to have a HACCP (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point) Food Safety System in place.

 

Your food safety management system allows you to identify and control any hazards that could pose a danger to the preparation of safe food. It helps you to:

 

• identify what can go wrong
• plan to prevent it
• make sure you are doing it.

 

According to the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), If you are responsible for developing and maintaining your business’s HACCP based procedures then you must undertake adequate training in the application of HACCP principles.

 

 

What Level of Food Safety Training Do Our Staff Need?

 

Food Safety HACCP Level 1

The Food Safety (HACCP) Level 1 course is ideal for those with no previous experience, with light food handling duties and/or performing low-risk duties (such as waiters, baristas, caregivers, kitchen porters, deli shop assistants, etc.). 

 

Food Safety HACCP Level 2

This is the recommended level for all food handlers, or those working in a kitchen setting, who do not have management responsibility for HACCP.

 

Food Safety HACCP Level 3

Food Safety HACCP Level 3 defines food safety skills for management and is aimed specifically towards Catering Managers, Supervisors, Executive and Head Chefs within the Hospitality Industry, Industrial and Institutional Catering Units, along with the Health Sector, Retail Sector and Delis.There should be at least one food worker with Food Safety HACCP Level 3 on duty in a food premises. 

 

Managers, Owners, need to be able to manage HACCP systems. They should also have a good understanding of how to implement a HACCP Programme for their workplace. All food businesses are required by law to have a food safety management system in place based on the principles of HACCP (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Point).

 

What Can Myelearnsafety Do for You?

Contact Myelearnsafety, HACCP Food Safety Training Consultants can be contacted for free HACCP Food Safety Advice and Guidance.

 

Telephone the office @ 01 278 1938 – As for Shane or Cormac

Fire Safety

To comply with the Fire Safety Regulations 1981-2003, every building must have a Fire Register in place to record all matters relating to fire safety within each  building

The following documentation should be maintained in the fire register:

 

• Names of Fire Marshals
• Certificates of fire safety training completed by
• Records of fire safety
• Fire alarm deactivation log
• Fire Extinguisher Inventory
• Emergency evacuation records and any other supporting
• Dockets and certificates relating to the maintenance of fire extinguishers, emergency lighting, fire hydrants and fire
• Plans of the building, fire alarm and emergency lighting

 

Safe Working Guidelines – Fire Prevention

 

All occupants and employees are required to maintain a high standard of housekeeping. All materials and equipment should be maintained within their designated storage area / location, waste must be removed regularly, and dust should be removed from the vents of equipment to prevent overheating.

 

• Never block a fire exit, escape route, fire extinguisher or fire alarm call
• Always report any fire hazards to the Facilities Manager, for example, visible signs of overheating on plugs.
• Never overload sockets or use damaged electrical
• Personal electrical equipment should not be used unless it has been PAT
• Minimum amounts of flammable materials should be stored. Highly flammable materials should not be purchased unless absolutely
• Follow all emergency
• All hot-works must be controlled by the Permit to Work

 

If you need assistance with Fire Safety Training We’d be glad to help.

 

Bullying at Work

Bullying and it’s affects on employees is a recognised workplace hazard

IN 2014, IRELAND was named the 7th worst country in Europe for workplace bullying, while in 2018, a study found that two in five people experienced bullying in their work environment.

The Health & Safety Authority have published a new code of practice (replacing the 2007 publication) entitled Code of Practice for Employers and Employees on the Prevention and Resolution of Bullying at Work

The purpose of the Code is to provide guidance for employers, employees and their representatives on good practice and procedures for identifying, preventing, addressing and resolving issues around workplace bullying.

Bullying activities involve actions and behavioral patterns, directly or indirectly, spoken and/or written and could include the use of cyber or digital means for the goal of bullying. Such bullying events, delivered through cyber means, may also be covered by the requirements of the 2005 Act. Behaviour which makes for a bullying pattern will likely include not just one but a range of the following behaviours

• Exclusion with negative consequences
• Verbal abuse/insults in being treated less favourably than colleagues in similar roles
• Belittling a person’s opinion
• Disseminating malicious rumours, gossip or innuendo
• Socially excluding or isolating a person within the work sphere
• Intrusion – pestering, spying or stalking n Intimidation/aggressive interactions
• Excessive monitoring of work
• Withholding information necessary for proper performance of a person’s job
• Repeatedly manipulating a person’s job content and targets
• Blaming a person for things beyond their control
• Use of aggressive and obscene language
• Other menacing behaviour

What is harassment at work?

The interchangeable use of the words harassment and bullying can lead to a misunderstanding of what each one relates to. They are legally distinct concepts and so a behaviour can be deemed either bullying or harassment, not both.

The effects of bullying on the business can include:

• high turnover of staff, high absenteeism and/or poor morale,
• mismanagement or poor management of relationships in the workplace

bullying is more likely to be a factor in workplaces that do not have an effective management system based on respect and awareness or sensitivity to the impact of behaviour on others,

• gender/age/status imbalance,
• other factors – composition of the workforce, interface with the public, history of tolerance of unacceptable behaviour, lack of/inadequate procedures or no adherence to procedures, and
• absence of clear reporting structures and clear job/role descriptions.

What should employers do?

• Ensure there is an Ant- Bullying Policy in place and it is communicated effectively to all
• Ensure there is a number of points of contacts available for people to communicate instances of potential bullying
• Provide the appropriate training to staff in management roles so they are aware of what is acceptable behaviour and what is not

Working from home, Tips for workstation set up.

Working from home can have some challenges, but there are things you can do to minimise risks and improve your comfort and productivity.

Even though many people are working from home unexpectedly, we must make sure that your home workspace meets legal requirements

Organising your workspace

You should try to have your workspace set-up at home similar to your set-up at work, so that it’s comfortable and user-friendly.

Setting up your work desk correctly will help you to have good posture. This reduces musculoskeletal disorders, including upper limb disorders and repetitive strain injuries.

See Getting ready to work from home

Improving your workspace

Even though many people are working from home unexpectedly because of the coronavirus outbreak, we must make sure that your workspace meets legal requirements

Position your screen correctly

Reduce eyestrain by positioning your screen at arm’s length from your face and at the correct height to allow a comfortable neck position. You should aim to have your eyes roughly level with the top of your screen.

Avoid glare

To reduce eyestrain, you should avoid having a glare on your screen. It’s best to position your screen away from direct window light and close curtains when necessary.

Keyboard

Having awkward wrist, arm and shoulder positions may lead to discomfort and injury. Adjust the height of your keyboard so that your wrists are in line with your forearms.

Change positions

Change your position from sitting to standing regularly to avoid awkward, static postures.

Give your eyes a break

To allow your eye muscles to rest, focus on an object 20 feet away every 20 minutes for 20 seconds.

Chair

Adjust your chair so your feet are flat on the floor, without uncomfortable pressure on your thighs. You can use a foot rest. Your lower back should be fully supported by the lumbar support in your chair. Ideally, you should have an office chair, otherwise you could use a cushion for lumbar support.

Get up and move

Break up long spells of screen work with rest breaks or changes in activity (for at least 5 minutes every hour).

Regular stretching

These stretches should be done slowly. If you feel any discomfort or pain, do not push beyond the intended stretch.

Here are some simple examples of muscle stretches that you can do at home

Improve your laptop set-up (laptop stand, keyboard and mouse)

Laptops are not intended for long term use as a workstation. If you are using it a lot at home then your workstation should meet the principles of workstation set-up, with a separate mouse, screen and keyboard.

Viewing angle, head and neck position

Use a laptop stand as it helps your head to stay up, straightening your neck, shoulders and back. If you do not have a laptop stand, try using books to improve your viewing angle.

Back position and support

You should use a purpose designed office chair where possible. If you’re using a kitchen chair then use a cushion to support a more upright posture.

Forearm and wrist position

Your hand, wrist and forearm should form a level line from your keyboard to your elbow. Your wrist should not be bent and should float above your keyboard.

Move your mouse through a combination of elbow and shoulder movements – your wrist should not be involved.

You can use cushions to elevate your seating position, helping to keep your forearm, wrist and hand level.

Leg and foot position

You should use a footrest to ensure your thighs remain almost parallel to the floor, with your hips slightly higher than your knees. Keep space between the back of your knees and the edge of the chair. If you do not have a footrest, you can use a plastic box.