Smart Working and Safety: What Are the New Obligations for Companies?

Smart working has changed the way work is organised, taking health protection beyond the boundaries of the company. Homes, coworking spaces and other places chosen to carry out the activity become contexts in which prevention, safety, ergonomics and psychophysical well-being remain central. This principle was reinforced in 2026 by new provisions that place even greater emphasis on information about risks.

What changes with Law no. 34/2026?

Since 7 April 2026, a law has been in force that introduced the new paragraph 7-bis into art. 3 of Legislative Decree 81/2008. The provision concerns agile work carried out in places that are not under the legal control of the employer, and establishes that the safety obligations compatible with this way of working, in particular those relating to the use of display screen equipment, are fulfilled by providing a written information notice. The document must be addressed, at least once a year, to the worker and to the RLS - Workers' Safety Representative, setting out the general risks and the specific risks connected with the way the work is performed. The worker also remains obliged to cooperate in implementing the prevention measures put in place by the company.

Which risks must be considered in smart working?

Particular attention should be paid to prolonged use of display screen equipment and to workstation ergonomics, bearing in mind that inadequate solutions can lead to incorrect postures, eye strain and musculoskeletal disorders. Added to these are the organisation of breaks and working hours, the characteristics of the environment chosen to carry out the activity and possible psychosocial risks related to work organisation. Information and training therefore play an essential role in helping workers recognise and correctly manage specific risks even outside the company.

How can protection and safety be ensured in these new contexts?

When the employer does not have control over the place where agile work is performed, the written health and safety information notice required by the new rules becomes particularly important. The document, intended for the worker and the Workers' Safety Representative, must be updated at least once a year and must describe the general and specific risks connected with agile work, with particular attention to the use of display screen equipment. The information notice is therefore a practical prevention tool, especially for aspects such as workstation ergonomics, posture, eye strain, the organisation of breaks and environmental and organisational conditions. Where required by the risks of the job role, Occupational Health Surveillance also retains its role, with the Occupational Physician able to assess the aspects connected with the work performed, integrating information, risk assessment and health protection.

What can SAPRA Medicina del Lavoro do?

We support companies in the integrated management of Occupational Health Surveillance and in organising Occupational Medicine programmes, through a network of Occupational Physicians and Mobile Medical Units active throughout Italy. The goal is to bring health aspects into the management of new working models, contributing to health protection and organisational well-being. A structured approach makes it possible to turn information, monitoring and prevention into practical tools that support the evolution of smart working and ensure regulatory compliance with health and safety obligations.