The problems of legal regulation of remote work from the point of view of safety and labor protection are considered. During the pandemic, the number of remote employees increased by eight times, and the labor protection of this category of the employees remained at the same level. The Labor Code of the Russian Federation significantly reduces the rights and obligations of both the employer and the remote employee, therefore, the risk of an incident increases.
It is difficult to establish a connection specifically between the incident with production activities, and not with the household chores. It is noted that the employers are reluctant to investigate incidents with remote employees. However, an investigation is required since administrative responsibility is provided for concealing an incident. Investigation will help not only to get the employee due compensation but also to prevent future incidents.
Several traumatic factors are highlighted related to the home office: sharp corners of the furniture, broken glass, toilets and bathrooms, wet floor, armchair, chair, ceiling cabinets (head injuries), carpets and cables (stumbling), equipment and cables (short circuit), fire, stairs. Presumably, the most frequent occupational diseases associated with the remote work (longer stay behind the computer screen) were identified: dry eye and carpal tunnel syndromes, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal diseases, etc.
Recommendations for the prevention of occupational diseases and injuries were proposed: briefings on labor protection, risk assessment at the workplaces, preliminary and periodic medical examinations, an ergonomic working environment, compliance with the work and rest regimes, preservation and (or) documentation of the incident site before the arrival of the commission, etc.
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