display screens at work regulations price

IEC 62563-1:2010 Medical electrical equipment – medical image display systems – part 1: evaluation methods. International Standards Organisation, Geneva

ISO 13406 Ergonomic requirements for work with visual displays based on flat panels, part 1: introduction and part 2: ergonomic requirements for flat panel displays. International Standards Organisation, Geneva

Management of health and safety at work (2000) Management of health and safety at work regulations 1999. Approved code of practice and guidance L21, 2nd edn. HSE Books, London. ISBN 0 7176 2488 9

Council Directive 90/270/EEC of 29 May 1990 on the minimum safety and health requirements for work with display screen equipment (fifth individual Directive within the meaning of Article 16(1) of Directive 89/391/EEC) [Official Journal L 156 of 21.06.1990]

HSE (Health and Safety Executive) (2003) Work with display screen equipment – health and safety (display screen equipment) regulations 1992 as amended by the health and safety (miscellaneous amendments regulations 2002. Guidance on regulations, 2nd edn. HSE L26. HMSO, London

HSG90 (2000) The law on VDUs: an easy guide: making sure your office complies with the health and safety (display screen equipment) regulations 1992 (as amended in 2002). HSE Books, London. ISBN 0 7 76 2602 4

This booklet is designed to provide a practical guide to using computer equipment and VDU’s at work. Includes guidance on work planning, ergonomics, workstation set-up, posture and avoiding eyestrain.

It makes an ideal staff induction tool, is given to staff when carrying out workstation assessments and is also used in staff refresher training on DSE use. The format is A5, full colour , 16 pages clearly written with a DSE Self Check section.

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work, (General Application) Regulations 2007, Chapter 5 of Part 2 outline the requirements that must be adhered to in relation to Display Screen Equipment.

“workstation” means an assembly comprising display screen equipment, which may be provided with a keyboard or input device or software, or a combination of the foregoing, determining the operator and machine interface, and includes—

As an employer there are a number of duties set down it this regulation, the key requirements are to:Carry out an analysis or risk assessment of employee workstations

Provide training to employees in the use of workstations before commencing work with display screen equipment and whenever the organisation of the workstation is modified

Perform a further analysis or risk assessment where an employee transfers to a new workstation or significant new work equipment, change of equipment or new technology is introduced an an individuals workstation

As a first step you (or the person who is conducting the risk assessment) should consult with the employee at the workstation in order to collect information on the main tasks completed at the workstation. It is important to provide the employee with an opportunity to comment during the course of the assessment.

You should observe the employee working at the workstation and should record whether the workstation meets the minimum requirements detailed in Schedule 4 of the Display Screen Equipment Regulation. These requirements can be incorporated into the risk assessment form as a checklist and you can indicate compliance or non-compliance as appropriate. The picture below shows an example of a poor workstation set up:

You should detail the issues to be addressed on the risk assessment form. The picture below provides examples of issues that might need to be addressed.

An action plan should be prepared stipulating how the issues will be addressed, who will take the necessary action and when the actions will be completed. A copy of the completed risk assessment should be given to the employee for his or her records and for further follow-up where required. It is the responsibility of the employer to ensure that the actions are completed.

You will need to revisit the workstation if there were issues to be addressed. You should consult with the employee and observe whether the issues highlighted in the risk assessment have been addressed. When everything is satisfactory, you and the employee should sign off on the risk assessment document.

The picture below shows a computer workstation that has been assessed and has had improvements put in place, including adjustment of monitor to the correct height, improved lighting, provision of a document holder, footrest and an adjustable seat.

A competent person must carry out the risk assessment of an employees workstation. A person is deemed to be competent if he or she possesses sufficient training, experience and knowledge appropriate to conducting a risk assessment of a workstation. Depending on the situation, this may be an internal person or it may be external expertise. You need to be satisfied that the person conducting the risk assessment is capable of doing so properly and effectively.

It is not sufficient to allow employees to use a software package or other means to assess their own workstations, it is a duty of the employer to carry out an analysis or risk assessment of an employees workstation.

Yes.  A documented analysis or risk assessment of a work station should include the following:Brief overview of the tasks completed at the workstation

Details of an action plan to address outstanding issues which stipulates who is responsible, what actions will be taken and when they will be completed.

Yes.  There will be situations where employees will move to a new workstation due to changing work commitments.  The employer needs to carry out a new workstation assessment at the employees new workstation.  A system should exist that when changes such as this take place a formal request is submitted to have a new workstation assessment carried out.  The analysis should take account of any changes in equipment or technology.

Do the Display Screen Equipment requirements of Chapter 5 of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 apply to laptops?

“A laptop is not covered by these Regulations due to the fact that under these Regulations the keyboard shall be tiltable and separate from the screen so as to allow the user to find a comfortable working position which avoids fatigue in the arms or hands.

It is recommended that a laptop should be connected to a separate monitor and keyboard, The workstation can then be assessed to record whether the workstation meets the requirements detailed in the Display Screen Equipment Regulation.

Other temporary laptop workstation set ups should be assessed to determine the usage of the laptop and to identify potential risks, however the user should not work of the laptop directly for long periods of time.

Schedule 4 details the minimum requirements for all Display Screen Equipment that should be in place for Display Screen Equipment workstations.  In conducting a workstation assessment the employer must take account of the minimum requirements specified in Schedule 4. This Schedule covers a range of elements which include the followingDisplay Screen Equipment

The employer must inform employees that they are entitled to be provided with an appropriate eye and eyesight test, which would be carried out by a competent person. The employer may do this in a number of ways including the following -Consultation with the safety representative(s) and formulate a memo to be placed on a notice board,

Every employee who habitually uses a VDU as a significant part of normal work has a right to opt for an appropriate eye test and an eyesight test which must be made available and paid for by the employer.

A doctor or optometrist can carry this out. It may also be carried out by a person (including a nurse) trained to use a vision-screening machine. The person operating the machine must know when to refer employees who do not pass the eyesight tests at the screening level to a doctor or optometrist.

Employees have the right to an eye and eyesight test before taking up work if it is habitual work with a VDU as well as at regular intervals thereafter. In determining the intervals, factors such as the ages of the employees and the intensity of VDU work should be taken into account in deciding the frequency of repeat tests. Additionally, an appropriate eye and eyesight test must be made available to an employee who experiences visual difficulties which may be due to display screen work.

Where eye tests carried out by the doctor or optometrist reveal that particular lenses are required for VDU work, the costs of minimum requirement frames and lenses must be borne by the employer. Where an employee already wears glasses to correct a visual defect (normal corrective appliances), and routine change of lenses arises, if these glasses are adequate also for VDU work, the employer is not liable as regards meeting the cost. The cost of dealing with more general eye problems which are revealed as a result of the tests and which are not directly related to working with a VDU is a matter for the employee as part of his or her general health care, taking account of health care entitlements.

Employers should provide training in the use of the workstation before an employee commences work on a VDU and, again, should the organisation of the workstation be altered. Training should include -A general appreciation of the computer system to which the VDU may be linked,

Appropriate induction training. Employees should understand how the work is organised so as to comply with Chapter 5 of Part 2 of the General Application Regulations. This could include a written record of the changes made to the workstation and information on rest and posture breaks. The employees should be informed why the changes were made and the benefits of such changes.

Instruction on the general principles of ergonomics, the proper adjustment of furniture, screens, keyboard, lighting etc. so as to suit individual employee’s height, reach etc. This should include a general understanding of the use of different adjustments on the work chair and correct positioning of such accessories as the mouse, document holder and telephone. If an employee spends a lot of time on the phone during the workday consideration should be given to the provision of telephone headsets.

Correct lighting arrangements are essential if eye fatigue is to be avoided. Suitable back ground lighting is required for VDU work to provide an appropriate contrast between the screen and the background environment and to avoid problems of reflection and glare. As a general rule, a level of lighting of 300 - 500 lux should be appropriate. If more light is required for reading documents, local lighting should be used. However the light from a table lamp etc. must not shine on the VDU or the immediate surrounding area.

Employers must plan work so that daily work at VDU"s is interrupted periodically by breaks or changes in activity which reduce the work at the screen. Although the Regulations set no frequency for breaks, no single continuous period of work at a screen should, in general, exceed one hour.

The regulation does not specify the frequency and duration of work breaks when working with VDU"s, nor is there any generally accepted standard. In some countries, including Ireland, there are employer trade union agreements on work breaks at company level.

The flow of work to a VDU user should be designed to allow natural breaks to occur. Alternatively, a change in the pattern of work by combining VDU and non-VDU work could be introduced. However, rest breaks are essential where continuous VDU work, requiring sustained attention is likely to result in fatigue. Ideally, the length of the rest should reflect the intensity of the individual job. However, there are four important points -Rest breaks or changes in the pattern of work, where they are necessary, should be taken before fatigue sets in. Some employees suffer symptoms from the effort used to keep up performance while fatigued.

The user should avoid contact stress with hard surfaces while typing, the use of a wrist rest in front of the keyboard is okay and the user may position the keyboard at the edge of the desk.

As you read through this document, you’ll see how they’ve evolved to encompass all aspects of working with DSE, from the chair to the mental health of the operative.

The aim of the Health and Safety at Work Act is so that we all know and understand what health and safety measures are needed in our workplaces, where we can find the information for them, and that they have been implemented so far as is reasonably practicable.’

This phrase is not a get out of free jail card – this is a – you need to look and see what needs implementing, and do it as far as is reasonably practicable.

This regulation is the benchmark for evaluating the workplace for any health and safety risks for display screen users – BUT – as this was the start of the digital age, they didn’t focus too much on the screen – it was more about the office environment and the ergonomics.

· Daily work routine – a bit Shakespearian in writing, but here’s a sample – 4. “Every employer shall so plan the activities of users at work in his undertaking that their daily work on display screen equipment is periodically interrupted by such breaks or changes of activity as reduce their workload at that equipment“.

Six years later and new realisations are emerging. Tech is becoming better; digital is more and more in our daily lives, the office chair and desk are regulated – so now we have the

“The use of work equipment is also very widely interpreted and ‘…means any activity involving work equipment and includes starting, stopping, programming, setting, transporting, repairing, modifying, maintaining, servicing and cleaning”.

The 1998 PUWER requires risks to people’s health and safety from equipment they use at work to be prevented or controlled. … safe for use, maintained in a safe condition; “used only by people who have received adequate information, instruction, and training”.

Nine years later, we are into the new millennium, and being faithful tech people, we are looking at DATA, and the impacts that working with DSE have on our bodies.

A variety of ill ­health symptoms have been associated with work with Display Screen Equipment (DSE), including musculoskeletal disorders, mental stress, and visual fatigue.

“However, there are substantial uncertainties, not least over the extent to which the provisions of the legislation have been fully implemented, and it cannot be safely concluded that the legislation has had no effect.”

Not that we have been able to find, but then we have just been living through 2020/2021, so we are sure there will be an update due to screen fatigue and zoom fatigue now being endemic.

How long before this list is used in the UK? Particularly if a DSE operator recognises that their eyesight has deteriorated because their employer has not been implementing the DSE regs?

This year saw the release of a DSE Safety Alert as it was noted “ There is evidence of non-compliance in the area of Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessment as required by current legislation. The purpose of this Safety Alert is to highlight the importance of ensuring all workstations are assessed.”

So, by now, we realise that sitting in a chair all day, staring at a screen, is not great for the body, mind or soul, there is a vast list of injuries used by the USA insurance companies, a safety alert has been raised by Health and Safety England, so we need to start looking at limits.

“Following these guidelines ensures content is more accessible to a wider range of people with disabilities, including accommodations for blindness and low vision, deafness and hearing loss, limited movement, speech disabilities, photosensitivity, and combinations of these, and some accommodation for learning disabilities and cognitive limitations.”

This ISO applies to all types of organisations. It applies to the breadth of ICT systems (Information and Communications Technology) within an organisation, including, but not limited to: information systems; intranet systems; websites; mobile and wearable applications; social media; and Internet of Things (IoT) systems.

Embedding the consideration of accessibility decisions through the entire process of developing, procuring, installing, operating and maintaining ICT systems, and documenting these choices.

Remember how the 2007 Data showed people carrying on regardless of illness, injury and poor mental health? Well, this set of regulations attempts to redress this.

Occupational health and safety management“Psychological health and safety at work – Guidelines for managing psychosocial risks guide psychological health and safety risks within an occupational health and safety management system.

This ISO addresses the many areas that can impact a worker’s psychological health, including ineffective communication, excessive pressure ( our note: not taking a lunch break, poor lighting, working late – staring at a screen that has not been calibrated for the user – i.e. straight out of the box – for over 9 hours a day), poor leadership and organisational culture.

We usually consider exposure control is required for chemicals or toxic substances. Still, here we are referring to exposure to visual health stressors – and yes – high on the list is the display screen, including the hours and hours we all spend looking at one – be that pc – phone or TV.

Overexposure to DSE presents as dry-eye syndrome and binocular visual disturbances (WHO ICD-10), debilitating myopic and asthenopic (eye stress) disease. This often presents as deficits in spatial awareness and blurred, or worse double vision, impairing learning and educational/work performance.

We know that frequent breaks are required, overexposure leads to physical and mental harm, and we know we need to take care of our most valuable asset – the employee.

The DSO creates the optimal, personal coloured background for the DSE user, mitigating the harms of overexposure and the disease associated with that, reducing stress, and having them shows compliance with the DSE regulations in that reasonably practical way.

Processing (understanding) visual information uses energy. For example, if you work harder to process visual information because certain colour combinations cause you pain or discomfort, you use up more energy, become fatigued and therefore less efficient and productive.

The term refers to the tone, contrast colours, brightness of the background and amount of text and images on a webpage or website, (now regulated by WCAG).

But more and more, people are noticing that colours and colour contrast can either enhance or detract from our well-being due to the amount of visual stress it causes.

And if you are a DSE operator, you want your eyes to work well, you want to be alert, you want to avoid pain, and you want to be as productive as you can be.

Display fireworks means large fireworks devices that are explosive materials intended for use in fireworks displays and designed to produce visible or audible effects by combustion, deflagration, or detonation, as provided in 27 CFR 555.11, 49 CFR 172, and APA standard 87-1, 4.1.

Computer equipment means Covered Property that is electronic computer or other data processing equipment, including peripherals used in conjunction with such equipment, and electronic media and records.

Port Cargo Handling Equipment means rubber-tired gantry cranes, straddle carriers, shuttle carriers, and terminal tractors, including yard hostlers and yard tractors that operate within ports.

Display means any device for displaying letters, numbers, images or other indicia or patterns. Nothing contained herein shall permit LICENSEE to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of a Light Valve which is not combined or intended to be combined as described above into a Light Valve Architectural Window Product.

Standard equipment means the basic configuration of a vehicle which is equipped with all the features that are required under the regulatory acts of the Contracting Party including all features that are fitted without giving rise to any further specifications on configuration or equipment level.

Fixed Equipment means any property affixed in any way to the Licensed Premises existing at the time Notice to Proceed is given, whose removal would damage the Licensed Premises.

Supplier Equipment means the Supplier"s hardware, computer and telecoms devices, equipment, plant, materials and such other items supplied and used by the Supplier (but not hired, leased or loaned from the Customer) in the performance of its obligations under this Call Off Contract;

Related Equipment means all equipment ancillary to the transmission and reception of voice and data via radio frequencies. Such equipment may include, but is not limited to, radio, cable, conduit and connectors.

Leased Equipment means the vehicles, computers, servers, machinery and equipment and other similar items including those identified on Schedule 1.1(b) leased and used or held for use by Seller or a Subsidiary primarily in the operation or conduct of the CATV Business but shall not include any such items that are Excluded Assets or Excluded Liabilities.

Designated Equipment means either: (i) a server identified by serial number, or host I.D. on which the Licensed Materials are stored; or (ii) a computer or workstation, as identified by its serial number, host I.D. number or Ethernet address; to which the Licensed Materials are downloaded and Used only upon the issuance of a License Key. The Designated Equipment shall be of a manufacture, make and model, and have the configuration, capacity (i.e., memory/disk), operating software version level, and pre- requisite and co-requisite applications, prescribed in the Documentation as necessary or desirable for the operation of the Software.

Production equipment (1 7 9) means tooling, templates, jigs, mandrels, moulds, dies, fixtures, alignment mechanisms, test equipment, other machinery and components therefor, limited to those specially designed or modified for "development" or for one or more phases of "production".

Interconnection equipment means a group of components or an integrated system owned and operated by the interconnection customer that connects an electric generator with a local electric power system, as that term is defined in Section 3.1.6.2 of IEEE Standard 1547, or with the electric distribution system. Interconnection equipment is all interface equipment including switchgear, protective devices, inverters or other interface devices. Interconnection equipment may be installed as part of an integrated equipment package that includes a generator or other electric source.

Field emission equipment means equipment which uses an x-ray tube in which electron emission from the cathode is due solely to the action of an electric field.

Service Equipment means any equipment, Software, systems, cabling and facilities provided by or on behalf of Verizon and used to facilitate provision of the Services at a Customer Site. Ownership of the Service Equipment does not pass to Customer. Service Equipment does not include Verizon Facilities.

Distributor’s Equipment means the Fittings and Metering Equipment owned by the Distributor, the Distributor’s agent, or any other third party with whom the Distributor has contracted with for the use by the Distributor of the party’s Fittings or Metering Equipment that are from time to time installed in, over or on Consumer’s Premises;

Associated equipment means equipment that is used in conjunction with a radiographic exposure device to make radiographic exposures that drive, guide, or come in contact with the source.

Systems and Equipment means any plant (including any central plant), machinery, transformers, duct work, cable, wires, and other equipment, facilities, and systems designed to supply heat, ventilation, air conditioning and humidity or any other services or utilities, or comprising or serving as any component or portion of the electrical, gas, steam, plumbing, sprinkler, communications, alarm, lab, security, or fire/life safety systems or equipment, or any other mechanical, electrical, electronic, computer or other systems or equipment which serve the Building and/or any other building in the Project in whole or in part.

IntraLATA LEC Toll means IntraLATA Toll traffic carried solely by a Local Exchange Carrier and not by an IXC. "IntraLATA Toll Traffic" describes IntraLATA Traffic outside the Local Calling Area.

Excluded Equipment means, at any date, any equipment or other assets of the Borrower or any Guarantor which is subject to, or secured by, a Capitalized Lease Obligation or a purchase money obligation if and to the extent that (i) a restriction in favor of a Person who is not Holdings or any Restricted Subsidiary of Holdings contained in the agreements or documents granting or governing such Capitalized Lease Obligation or purchase money obligation prohibits, or requires any consent or establishes any other conditions for or would result in the termination of such agreement or document because of an assignment thereof, or a grant of a security interest therein, by the Borrower or any Guarantor and (ii) such restriction relates only to the asset or assets acquired by the Borrower or any Guarantor with the proceeds of such Capitalized Lease Obligation or purchase money obligation and attachments thereto, improvements thereof or substitutions therefor; provided that all proceeds paid or payable to any of the Borrower or any Guarantor from any sale, transfer or assignment or other voluntary or involuntary disposition of such assets and all rights to receive such proceeds shall be included in the Collateral to the extent not otherwise required to be paid to the holder of any Capitalized Lease Obligations or purchase money obligations secured by such assets.

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 (amended in 2002) implement the Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Directive (90/270/EEC) on minimum health and safety requirements for work with DSE. The regulations cover the computer hardware, software, the workstation, peripheral equipment and, most importantly, the individual using the DSE.

Workers who use DSE as a significant part of their role may experience problems, such as eye strain and visual fatigue, upper limb disorders (sometimes known as repetitive strain injury (RSI)) and mental stress. While the risks to individual users are often low, they are exacerbated by the overuse of DSE or by sitting with an inappropriate posture at poorly designed workstations.

Guidance on work with display screens is published by the Health and Safety Executive. L26 Work with Display Screen Equipment: Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 as amended by the Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002, can be downloaded from the HSE website.

Regulation 1 of the DSE Regulations defines what is meant by DSE, a user, use and a workstation. The definitions determine whether or not the regulations apply in a particular situation.DSE: any alphanumeric or graphic display screen, regardless of the display process involved (including microfiche readers but not television).

The DSE Regulations apply only to employees who “habitually” use DSE for undertaking a significant part of their normal work. The regulations apply to employed staff and to the self-employed. In many organisations, it is most likely to apply to staff such as administrative staff, receptionists or secretaries, data inputters, journalists or writers, editors, telesales or call-centre operators, CCTV operators, graphic designers, librarians, etc.

The regulations do not apply to workers who use DSE infrequently or for short periods of time. However, the controls described in the regulations will still be useful for such workers, especially those that relate to the safe ergonomic use of computers and laptops.

Those who work with DSE but do not input or extract information are not regarded as users. For example, those who distribute or service DSE are not seen as users, but those using software to carry out a task may be.

Under regulation 2 of the DSE Regulations, employers are required to perform “a suitable and sufficient analysis” of workstations to assess the health and safety risks to which users are exposed.

Where a workstation is in temporary or short-term use, a risk assessment must still be conducted. However, it need not be recorded unless the risk is significant.

The assessment should record any hazards found, the likely risk, any changes made during the assessment and changes required. Some information may be gathered generically, such as the type of furniture or the nature of the work, but only where these are uniform.

Where people share a workstation, each should be assessed at that workstation. Each user needs to be assessed since the stature and physical characteristics of the person can affect the suitability of the layout. The nature of the work being conducted may also vary.

Risk assessments should also be conducted for employees who are DSE users and work from home, whether or not the workstation is supplied in whole or in part by the employer. For example, the employer may have provided the DSE but not the furniture.

The guidance to the DSE Regulations suggests that an assessment can be completed in some circumstances by providing a checklist for the employee to complete and return. It should cover any need for special training or information to compensate for their lack of direct contact with the employer.

Risk assessments should be reviewed wherever there is a significant change in any of the elements of the workstation or where there is a reason to believe the original assessment is invalid. They should also be reviewed where DSE users experience discomfort.

The regulations require risks to be reduced “so far as is reasonably practicable”, balancing the risks associated with the costs involved. For example, a document holder may be required to raise the height of paperwork and improve the work posture. The document holder can be purchased at minimal cost and will benefit the user greatly by avoiding stressful neck and head postures.

Risk reduction measures should be identified for all hazards defined in the risk assessment. The measures should be implemented as quickly as possible. Many measures are simple (eg changes to posture, ensuring frequent focal distance changes and avoiding fatigue and stress) and the cost is minimal. Where measures involve a change of behaviour on the part of the user, management or colleagues can be involved to help promote this change.

Under regulation 4 of the DSE Regulations, the employer must plan users’ activities so that work is broken up by activity changes. These can be informal breaks away from the screen for a short period each hour, perhaps while engaged in some other work activity.

General guidance on breaks is as follows.The timing of the break is more important than the length. Taking a break before the onset of fatigue will prevent discomfort and reductions in productivity.

Wherever possible, users should choose how they carry out tasks to enable them to distribute their work, incorporating changes of activity and rest breaks.

The regulations also require the employer to encourage rest breaks and changes of activity. It is easy for users to get absorbed in their work and continue to work on past the point at which they would normally or should stop. Other than in emergency situations, or those where continuity is paramount, users should not extend their working time before a break or change of activity.

Regulation 5 states that users, whether they are already users or about to become so, should be provided with appropriate eye and eyesight tests at their request. The employer must meet the costs of tests and of any special corrective appliances prescribed to adjust visual quality at the DSE viewing distance, where normal appliances (glasses or lenses) cannot be used. Further sight tests must be provided for the user at regular intervals or if the user experiences visual difficulties considered to be caused by DSE work.

Many employers have an eye test policy that limits users to a single eyesight test within fixed intervals. This may involve a voucher system at a specified optician. Alternatively, users may be allocated a fixed sum for the cost of the eye test. For example, the policy may state that employees can claim £30 towards the cost of an eye test once a year, subject to the provision of a VAT receipt. In practice, this sort of system seems to work well for the majority of users. However, care should be taken to ensure provision for any users who require an eye test more frequently.

Where special corrective appliances are required, the employer need only to pay for the basic model or set limits for their provision, eg £50 towards the cost of glasses specifically for DSE work. Alternatively, they may choose to contribute the price of a basic appliance to the user, who may use this towards the cost of a luxury appliance, eg designer frames or contact lenses.

In practice, training should ensure users are familiar with the set up and adjustments of their workstation. It should also ensure they are aware of good ergonomics practice, including the need to take regular breaks from DSE use.

In some cases, a suitably qualified person can provide this information while conducting a risk assessment for the user. If this is not possible, training videos can be used to ensure employees are aware of the risks and what they can do to reduce them. Online training or assessment packages are also available.

Under regulation 7, the employer should inform users about the health and safety aspects of their workstations. Users are also to be given information about activity changes, eye and eyesight tests and training. This is to be given to them on commencement of DSE work and whenever a workstation is modified.

There are many different types of employee covered by the DSE Regulations, such as contract workers, temporary staff, etc. The regulations state that they should all be provided with information, although the amount provided depends on the status of the employee. Table 1 lists the level of information employers should provide to users and operators.

Table 1: Information to be Provided to Different Types of UserType of user/operatorRisks from display screen equipment and workstationsRisk assessments and measures to reduce the risks (regulations 2 and 3)Breaks and activity changes (regulation 4)Eye and eyesight tests (regulation 5)Initial training (regulation 6(1))Training when workstation modified (regulation 6(2))

Any gadget with a screen, including laptops, smartphones, and desktop computers, is referred to as display screen equipment (DSE). To safeguard employees’ well-being and adhere to important legal requirements, it is imperative to reduce health and safety display screen equipment hazards.

To lower the risk of pain or injury, employers must ensure that they provide a properly configured workstation that supports your posture if you use these devices in the workplace. To work comfortably, it’s critical to be aware of the best practise recommendations for working with DSE, especially if you do so from home.

Employers are required by law to ensure that measures are in place to lower the risk to employees under the Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Regulations of 1992. It specifically describes workers who continuously operate DSE equipment for an hour or longer. Employers are obligated under this law to:

Inappropriate use of DSEs can result in eye strain, weariness, and back, shoulder, and neck pain. Incorrect seating, such as sitting at the wrong height or slouching over a laptop screen, can lead to upper-body stiffness and discomfort. The wrists and hands might also be affected by a faulty setup. Without enough breaks, prolonged screen use puts strain on the eyes, which can cause weariness.

Repetitive chores, high workloads, and poor screen use frequently combine to develop ongoing health issues. If these issues are not resolved, they may develop into chronic discomfort, headaches, or musculoskeletal conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome or repetitive strain injuries.

Employees must be accountable for their health and safety while using display screen technology, even though the employer must provide an appropriate workstation and enough training. Following the advice provided during DSE training may ensure that employees are performing jobs with the proper posture, alignment, and tempo.

As an employer, you should ensure your Health and Safety Risk Assessments are fully updated with proper DSE requirements, then share them with your team via the Be-Safe Compliance Genie.

Our Display Screen Equipment (DSE) online course explores how to set up your workstation to avoid health and safety issues. It covers the relevant legislation, the importance of good posture, and exercises to prevent musculoskeletal problems, aches and pains.

35 minutes Display screen equipment (DSE) is equipment and devices with an alphanumeric or graphic display screen. This includes PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones as well as less typical equipment such as microfiche readers. The legislation governing its use includes the Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 as well as the updated Display Screen Equipment Regulations 2002. Throughout this article we will focus on the initial DSE Regulations 1992. Prolonged and regular use of DSE comes hand in hand with a number of health risks. The most common complications are: musculoskeletal problems, headaches, tired eyes and mental stress. In order to mitigate these risks, employers have a range of responsibilities surrounding their DSE users. Requirements include: assessing risks, managing workloads, providing training, ensuring workstations are adequate and providing eyecare when required. Which Employees are covered by the Legislation? Not everybody who uses DSE is classed as a DSE user. In order to qualify as a DSE user employees must use DSE pretty much every day for an hour or more continuously. They must also have to transfer data quickly to or from the DSE. Additionally, they must fulfil at least one of the following criteria: Be required to use very high levels of attention and concentration

Need specialist training and/or skills in order to operate the DSE It is important that employers correctly identify DSE users so they can ensure they are fulfilling their responsibilities. However, this does not mean that workers who fall short of qualifying as DSE users should have their DSE related needs disregarded. Workstation Assessment A DSE workstation includes keyboards, mouses, display screens, software, furniture and immediate environmental factors. All of which can impact a worker whilst they operate DSE. For example, using a chair that has not been adjusted to your height can cause back pain, whilst using a monitor which has poorly suited brightness and contrast settings could result in eye tiredness and headaches. DSE users must complete a workstation assessment which is designed to help identify any risks. In order for workers to perform these assessments themselves, they must first receive training on how to do so. The intention is that identification of any inadequacies will facilitate action to mitigate these risks. Any special requirements of the user (e.g. disability) should be taken into account whilst performing this assessment.

We spend a lot of time at our desks. It’s essential our computers and workstations are set up to avoid aches and pains, and ultimately long-term musculoskeletal disorders.

Our Display Screen Equipment Challenge course covers the risks associated with display screen equipment and what both employees and managers can do to reduce them. Whether you work in an office, at home or on the move, you need to think about DSE.

Our Display Screen Equipment (DSE) online course explores how to set up your workstation to avoid health and safety issues. It covers the relevant legislation, the importance of good posture, and exercises to prevent musculoskeletal problems, aches and pains.

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 place specific requirements on employers with the aim of protecting workers from the health risks associated with DSE. These duties also apply to the self-employed.

Display Screen Equipment means any alphanumeric or graphic display screen, regardless of the display process involved. It covers PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones as well as other methods of displaying data, such as CCTV screens.

A "user" or "operator" is a worker or self-employed person who uses display screen equipment as a significant part of their normal work. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) specify that it applies to "workers who use DSE daily, for an hour or more at a time not infrequent users or short-term use".

Eyesight tests and corrective eyewear must be provided, by the employer, free of charge if required. A test should be carried out by an ophthalmic optician if a DSE user requests it. Employers can offer vision screening tests, but they cannot prevent a user opting for a full eyesight test instead. Where the test shows the need for corrective eyewear specifically for DSE use and to comply with the regulations, the employer must fund the basic cost.

Training and information must be provided to users and operators, explaining the risks of DSE use and how to arrange the workstation safely. It should also cover what to do if the user develops any work-related health problems.

University of Dundee recognises the risks of using Display Screen Equipment (DSE) and that misuse can lead to chronic injury. This Policy sets out procedures to minimise the health risks of using DSE and to ensure compliance with the Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 as amended by the Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002. The University will ensure that all equipment provided for DSE workstations complies with legislative requirements.

A “User” is defined as someone who has to use DSE for a significant part of the working day, has to use DSE in circumstances where they are under pressure and mistakes are critical, and has limited discretion to organise their own workloads.

A “DSE Workstation” includes the IT equipment, the desk, chair and other furniture and equipment essential and ancillary to the work at the DSE and the immediate working environment.

Deans/Directors must ensure that all DSE workstations under their control are assessed and that staff who are “Users” as defined in the Regulations are identified. This task may be delegated to the School/Directorate Safety Adviser or other trained DSE assessors. Records of DSE risk assessments must be retained for at least 5 years and the assessment repeated if there has been any significant change to the workstation or the work that is carried out or the individual’s health status changes in a way that may result in adverse health effects from work with DSE.

All staff using a DSE workstation must read the Safe Working with Display Screen Equipment Handbook and complete their self assessment workstation risk assessment before, or as soon as practicable after, starting work with DSE. They should discuss the workstation risk assessment with their line manager and report any concerns about their workstation to their School/Support Service Safety Adviser or DSE assessor. If they think they may be a “User” or are having difficulty in completing a workstation risk assessment, they should contact their School/Support Service Safety Adviser or DSE assessor to carry out a DSE workstation risk assessment.

DSE “Users” are entitled to a free eye and eyesight test through their employer. This is provided by Specsavers Opticians. A DSE assessor completes a form to confirm that the employee is a “User” and sends this to Safety Services who issue a voucher that can be used to obtain an eye test and prescription glasses from Specsavers opticians. The employee visits the optician and provides the voucher.

Most staff and students work with display screen equipment (DSE) such as desktop and laptop personal computers, often for prolonged periods on a daily basis. Considerable improvements have been made in DSE since their use became widespread, including the visual display unit (VDU or monitor) of the DSE.

The most common adverse effect of working with VDUs is temporary and can loosely be called "eyestrain" or "visual discomfort". The signs of this include painful eyes with a burning or gritty sensation, blurring of the visual image and twitching of eye muscles. Eyestrain is one of a wider group of temporary eye problems that are defined as ‘any subjective visual symptoms or distress resulting from the use of one"s eyes’. Eyestrain is particularly likely to occur after a long, unbroken period of work on the equipment.

Some people may require corrective spectacles specifically for display screen work. They are needed to correct problems experienced with reading display screens that are usually located at a distance of about 0.5m from the user.

People who are susceptible to migraines can also find that screen usage (in particular prolonged used) can bring on a migraine, but the exact reasons for this are not always clear and may not be entirely due to the screen. The Migraine Trust has information about this and steps to reduce occurrence.

This can take the form of pain, stiffness or numbness, particularly in the neck, arm, shoulders or wrists. The cause is linked to sitting in fixed positions for long periods, or awkward, rapid or repetitive movements of the hand, body or arms. In most cases these symptoms disappear quickly after stopping work, but in a few cases they may be more serious and permanent disability could result. This form of problem comes under the heading of Work-Related Upper Limb Disorder (WRULD) or Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI). WRULDs are not confined to DSE users. They are found in employees performing traditional office tasks as well as in factory workers. The location of the musculoskeletal discomfort is related to the particular type(s) of task being performed.

These ailments are the most common injuries resulting from DSE use and the University recognises that they are caused by a combination of equipment, user habits and other factors. It is the University’s policy to train all users about the potential hazards and to encourage them to develop good working practices to minimise the risks.

These may be secondary to visual or musculoskeletal problems but may also be caused by such factors as poor job design or work organisation, high-speed repetitive working and lack of control of work by the user. Related to this is unsatisfactory software design, which may be linked with inappropriate monitoring of performance. To reduce these factors, training, consultation and involvement of the user, in addition to design of the workstation have to be considered.

There have been a small number of cases where skin rashes, particularly on the face, appear to be connected with the use of VDUs. These rashes usually disappeared overnight or over a weekend when the equipment was not being used. The cause was probably an electrostatic field associated with older CRT-style displays, sometimes coupled with a dry atmosphere; simple measures such as using a moisturising cream can usually prevent the rashes, but modern LCD displays also have much reduced electrostatic fields.

Epileptic seizures have been caused by TV viewing, but this photosensitive epilepsy is confined to a small proportion of the population (1 to 2,500 to 1 in 10,000). Persons known to be at risk are advised to consult their doctor before using VDU equipment for the first time. However, a screen which is flickering or otherwise malfunctioning could trigger an attack in susceptible people. Therefore, any faults should be reported promptly and faulty equipment not continued in use.

The Health Protection Agency considers that there is no significant risk to health associated with any radiation emissions from VDUs, especially from modern LCD displays. Therefore, no special protective measures are needed to protect the health of people from such radiation.

There has been considerable concern about higher levels of miscarriage and birth defects reported among some groups of VDU users. However, reliable studies have been unable to demonstrate any link between miscarriages or birth defects and VDUs. The Health Protection Agency considers that VDU radiation emissions, especially from modern LCD displays, do not put unborn children at risk. Pregnant women need not stop work with VDUs. However, to avoid problems caused by anxiety, women who are pregnant or planning children, and are worried about working with VDUs, should contact the Occupational Health Team.

Employees who use DSE for a significant part of their normal work, and others working under University control and using DSE, must be protected from potential associated health hazards. The University will ensure that it provides suitable equipment for DSE workstations and that staff will carry out DSE Assessments on their workstations. Where employees are classified as “Users” under the Regulations, the provision of eye and eyesight tests and corrective spectacles when needed solely due to use of DSE are additional measures that the University will apply. The University also recognises its duty to students and casual users to provide suitable equipment and training in its safe use.

All workstations (including the immediate environment) involving DSE have to be assessed so that any risks identified can be reduced to the lowest extent reasonably practicable. In most cases this can be completed by the staff themselves using the DSE Risk Assessment form given in Appendix 1 of the PDF or by using the online DSE self-assessment (Log in, then select “uod_safety_database” and click the button for DSE Self-Assessment). They may contact a Display Screen Risk Assessor for advice, or they may be contacted by a Display Screen Risk Assessor if they are a “User” and/or significant issues are identified following the self-assessment.

Everyone who works with DSE at the University needs to receive appropriate training on the nature of the risks and how to avoid them by correct working practices.

Suitable breaks, or changes of activity, to interrupt display screen work should be provided in addition to information and training relating to the hazards of display screen work. A diagram showing the optimal seating and posture for display screen and similar office work is given in this booklet (Appendix 3 in the PDF).

The avoidance of long periods of unbroken work with DSE will reduce the risk of eyestrain, headaches and muscular discomfort. Momentary breaks to relax the hands, body and eye muscles roughly every ten minutes are particularly beneficial where keyboard work is intensive.

Some work breaks are necessary to avoid effects on health and these can often be incorporated into jobs by just carrying out other tasks to break up a long spell at the DSE. In jobs where most of the work is at a screen and keyboard, both the employee and their manager need to ensure that changes of activity or rest breaks occur for at least 5-10 minutes every hour.

If users of VDUs suffer from eyestrain or headaches and if the environmental factors discussed below appear to be satisfactory, then consideration should be given to the need for changing the frequency and length of breaks away from the VDU, or look more closely at the whole job.

The correct positioning of VDUs in relation to lights and windows helps to avoid glare (an unpleasant brightness in the visual field) and reflections on the screen. Both of these can lead to eyestrain and headaches.

The VDU equipment should be placed with the screen at right angles to overhead strip lights, that is with the sides of the VDU parallel to the light strips. If rows of strips are present, the VDU screen should be midway between two rows. The screen can often be tilted or angled slightly to avoid reflections, but this should not be at the expense of the user achieving a good working posture.

In most DSE workstations the brightest sources of light are the windows, but attention to the following should eliminate them as a source of glare and reflections on the VDU screens:

Before DSE equipment is installed in a room careful consideration should be given to siting it most effectively in relation to lights and windows. If reflectance and glare occur on screens, they can usually be eliminated by making adjustments in line with the above recommendations. A mirror with the back held flat against the screen can be a useful aid if difficulty is found in locating a source of glare/reflection.

Naked fluorescent lights produce glare and should not be used in rooms with VDUs. Diffusers should be fitted to all tubes. Modern LED lights should also be a type that does not produce glare and is of an appropriate colour temperature.

The light level that is suitable for office work with paper documents is higher than that most suitable for reading a VDU screen. The ideal light level for paperwork is above 500 lux, but the level suited to most VDU operations is 300 lux. This conflict can usually be dealt with by providing a level of 300 lux to not more than 500 lux at the VDU screen by combining natural and artificial lighting with any necessary blinds or screens. Paperwork can be illuminated at levels greater than 500 lux by task lights, taking care to position or screen them to prevent glare; dimmers on these lights are often an advantage.

Lighting levels are often a matter of personal preference. Anybody who thinks that lighting is causing difficulty in their work with VDUs should consult Safety Services who can measure lighting levels where necessary.

Correct attention to lighting level and position will do much to prevent glare on the screen. It can also be important to eliminate reflecting surfaces from the vicinity of the VDU screen. Good quality keyboards have matt surfaces. The surface of the desk on which the VDU stands should also be matt rather than glossy and should not be too light in colour.

Various types of devices are available for fitting over VDU screens to decrease glare, although modern LCD screens with matt surfaces exhibit much less glare than older CRT screens and so filters are usually not required on LCD screens. Filters should be seen as a less satisfactory way of treating the problem because each type has its own disadvantage in reducing the quality of the screen images. The personal preference of an operator, however, could make the installation of such a device an acceptable solution if a LCD screen is not available instead.

The components of any DSE workstation should be easily adjustable. This applies particularly to the positions of the screen, keyboard, chair and optional components such as document holder or footrest.

Ease of adjustment is as important as adjustability and will allow different people to use the equipment comfortably. It is also important that individual users can adjust their posture easily and frequently to avoid muscle pains. Document holders are an essential aid where copy typing or transfer of data from documents to the screen is a frequent task. The distance between the eye and the screen, the keyboard and the document holder should be equal if possible. It is recommended that document holders are positioned as near to the screen as possible and that they stand at approximately the same angle.

The diagram in Appendix 5 of the PDF gives an indication of optimal seating and posture for display screen work. A large literature exists on the ergonomics of designing DSE workstations and the references in the bibliography can give a guide to further information in this area.

Even the idealised seating and posture shown in Appendix 5 will lead to discomfort if it must be maintained for long periods. It is therefore important to provide a workstation whose different components can be easily adjusted to allow the working posture to be altered as frequently as necessary. It should be possible to make all the common adjustments from the working position.

Before a VDU and its associated equipment such as printers are installed it should be recognised that it will require to be carefully positioned in relation to lights, windows and any other VDU equipment. More electrical cables will be involved as compared with other office equipment and thought will have to be given to the best method of avoiding trailing cables on the floor and close to working surfaces, especially in a home working environment where available sockets may not be ideally located or plentiful.

When multiple VDUs (i.e. monitors) are being used, they should be at a similar height. Try to avoid twisting to look from one screen to the other: rotate your chair if necessary and move your keyboard and mouse. When inputting data, sit square on to the monitor which is displaying this information.

Laptops do not comply with the requirements for DSE workstations when used without peripherals because the screen and the keyboard are not separable and they, therefore, encourage a poor posture, which can lead to discomfort and musculoskeletal problems. Therefore, laptops should not be used in situations where a normal desktop PC could be used unless suitable peripherals are used. At a minimum, a separate keyboard and mouse, combined with a way to raise the laptop screen to an appropriate working height is required. Due to the small size of laptop screens, ideally, a separate monitor should also be used. Should an employee work from home as part of agreed arrangements, appropriate equipment must be supplied to enable a suitable working environment to be achieved. This will include peripherals attached to a PC or laptop and other equipment such as a desk, chair, foot-rest as determined by DSE risk assessment.

Laptops without peripherals should only be used for occasional work, even if the breaks and changes of activity advised earlier are being taken. When a laptop is used without peripherals (e.g. occasional home working, on a train, in an airport, etc), the user should find a table or desk of suitable height and a supportive chair wherever possible. Laptop users must be aware of the potential risks of extended laptop use in a situation that does not facilitate them adopting good posture and working habits.

The DSE Regulations were designed in the early 1990s to give protection to employees who use DSE for prolonged periods and who are not free to choose how or when they carry out this work. A requirement of these Regulations is that ‘Users’ of DSE are entitled to a free eye test and, if it is found that ‘Users’ require spectacles specifically for working at DSE, they must be provided by the employer. This is an unusual requirement if one considers the visual needs of other types of work. Tailors, electronics assemblers, surgeons, dentists, and other precision workers do not receive this legal entitlement, yet their vision is critical to their work. Under the DSE Regulations, spectacles are not provided for someone who has an eye test and is found to have adequate focus but has other vision problems such as astigmatism. In this case, the prescription of spectacles would be for other purposes as well as DSE work. Nor are spectacles provided for reading. Most people who need spectacles for other tasks such as reading will find that they are adequate for DSE work as well.

In the Regulations there are no clear definitions of exactly what a “User” is, only guidelines. Since the early 1990s, the use of DSE has become commonplace and most staff will use DSE both at work and at home. However, the use of DSE does not in itself make someone a ‘User’ as defined by the Regulations. Staff who use DSE are not therefore automatically entitled to a free eye test or glasses if required. Given that there is no clear definition of a ‘User’ in the DSE Regulations, the University has drawn up guidelines following HSE Guidance L26 to differentiate between staff who are ‘Users’ and staff who use DSE in their work. These guidelines are given in the ‘User Definition Form’(Appendix 4 of the PDF) and if 4 or more of the criteria are fulfilled in these guidelines, that member of staff can be assumed to be a ‘User’ and not someone who simply uses DSE. There may inevitably be occasional disputes where someone feels they are being denied a free eye test that they have either previously had or they had expected. In these few cases please refer them to Safety Services.

DSE (Display Screen Equipment) are devices or equipment that have an alphanumeric or graphic display screen and includes display screens, laptops, touch screens and other similar devices. Simply put they are almost everything we use and need to send and receive information in the modern world.

The HSE states that a very high proportion of workers using display screen equipment report aches and pains and eye discomfort. These afflictions can cause misery for the sufferers and can be responsible for lower productivity and high rates of absence. The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 aims to protect the health of people who work with DSE.

In April 2020, 46.6% of people in employment did some work at home. Of those who did some work from home, 86.0% did so as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. With many companies now having a large proportion of their workforce working from home, employees are having to adapt quickly to this change, raising