The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 were established to help improve the safety of all employees who regularly use DSE as a significant part of their normal work (daily, for continuous periods of an hour or more). This isn’t just limited to desktop PC’s, it also covers work with tablets, smartphones, laptops and touchscreens.
The regulations outline that if you have DSE users, you must:
- Analyse workstations to assess and reduce risk
- Make sure controls are in place
- Provide information and training
- Provide eye and eyesight tests on request, and special spectacles if needed
- Review the assessment when the user or DSE changes
The regulations don’t just apply to any fixed workstations within your business, but also any home/ remote workers, mobile workers and hot-desking models. For many, working in a seated position with technology makes up a large part of the working day, and prolonged exposure to poor DSE practices can have an adverse impact on a person’s health, including:
- Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD’s)
- Fatigue
- Stress
- Eye health
- Repetitive strain injuries (RSI)
As an employer, you need to assess the risks associated with using DSE equipment in your business. This needs to include any risks that are specific to an individual employee. Once assessments have been carried out and hazards are identified, the next step is to train employees, informing them on what to look out for and how to work safely with an optimal workstation.
After conducting your assessment, it is important to make a record of your significant findings and collect feedback from your employees. Any record you produce should be simple and focused on controls. It is also important to remember few workplaces stay the same, so you will need to review what you are doing on an ongoing basis and update it whenever any new equipment or working practice is introduced.
Key areas to consider in your DSE Risk Assessments:
- Work surface: Suitable height. Adequate space for flexible arrangement of equipment/documents. Glare-free surface.
- Chair: Stable and adjustable. Correct adjustment of the chair is essential.
- Leg room: Clearance to allow for postural changes.
- Footrest: To be supplied if a user needs one.
- Screen: Stable image and readable, adjustable height, glare/reflection-free.
- Keyboard: Adjustable, detachable and legible.
- Mouse: Ability to adjust the position to suit the user.
- Telephone: Ability to adjust the position to suit the user. Hands-free headset may be necessary for heavy usage.
- Lighting: Adequate lighting to be provided. Window blinds may be required to minimise glare.
- Noise: Distracting noise minimised.
- Temperature & Environment: Suitable for working in comfort.
- Software: Appropriate to task, adapted to the user, no undisclosed monitoring.
For a comprehensive guide to setting up a workstation, read the HSE’s guide.
