display screens at work regulations manufacturer

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.

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

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Employers should protect their workers from any risks and hazards that are associated with their work. Although some people may work with heavy equipment that is dangerous to operate, there is also a risk that comes along with working at computers and with display screens, and this risk should be taken just as seriously.

Users of computer equipment can experience back pain, leg pain, repetitive strain injury, tennis elbow, eye strain, headaches and more. All of these problems can be easily addressed and potentially prevented before they become a recurring issue, through the proper use of display screen equipment.

The display screen equipment regulations implemented by HSE in 1992, cover how we should work with screens and computers in order to reduce the risk of temporary or permanent injury.

If you use a fixed workstation, mobile workstation or work from home, these regulations will apply to you. In order to comply with the regulations, employers should complete a workstation assessment and put into place an environment where workers are able to take regular breaks from working at the computer. Employers should also provide an eye test if it is asked for by the employee.

Aside from this, regular training should take place where workers are told how to sit properly at their desks. Although this could seem obvious: straight back, head facing the screen – it may not be possible for colleagues, in a way that you as an employer may not understand. For example, workers that use two computer screens will not be able to have a screen directly in front of them, and workers who are under average height will not be able to have their seat at the recommended height without their feet not touching the ground.

This training should be given to every new hire, as well as every year to existing staff. If staff members have injuries, pregnancies or existing illnesses like epilepsy, the training and display screen equipment assessment should be repeated in order to increase comfort and reduce the risk of injury.

During the workstation assessment, employers will look at the whole workstation: the equipment itself, the office furniture, and the working conditions, as well as the job that is being done. Nowadays, with a huge amount of labour carried out digitally, there are a growing number of people who work sitting at a computer all day.

The DSE workstation assessment also takes into account special requirements such as disabilities or existing injuries that might hinder workers’ comfort levels.

If risks are identified through a DSE workstation assessment, the assessor will make recommendations that should be carried out in order to reduce any negative impact on the health and safety of the workers in question.

Workstation assessments should be undertaken whenever a new workstation is set up, a new hire starts work, a change is made to an existing workstation or workers complain of pain or discomfort.

The desk should be large enough to accommodate everything that the user needs to complete their job. There should be enough room for workers to rest their forearms on the desk or in the keyboard position. Underneath the desk, there should be enough space to accommodate legs in a comfortable, forward-facing position. Footrests can be useful for those who are under average height.

There should be space in front of the keyboard for workers to rest their hands and wrists. If necessary, workers can use a wrist support or ergonomic keyboard to ease the strain on the fingers and wrists.

The mouse should be within easy reach and should have enough room to move around the whole computer screen. If necessary, workers can make use of a mousepad with wrist support to minimise strain.

It is possible to adjust the brightness and contrast to mitigate glare from windows or overhead lights – workers should be shown how to do this according to their personal preference. In order to minimise the risk of neck strain and shoulder pain, the screen should be directly in front of the user’s head when they are sitting straight at their desk.

Disclaimer:The information provided through Greenham Pulse is for general guidance only and is not legal advice. Greenham Pulse is not a substitute for Health and Safety consultancy. You should seek independent advice about any legal matter.

Display screen equipment (DSE) refers to any device with a screen, such as computers, laptops, and smart phones. Reducing health and safety display screen equipment risks is crucial to protect the wellbeing of workers and comply with key legislation.

If you are using these devices for work, then employers need to make sure that you have a correctly set up workstation that supports your posture to reduce the risk of discomfort or injury. It’s important to be aware of the best practice guidance for working with DSE, especially if you work from home so that you can always work comfortably.

The Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Regulations 1992 places legal obligations on employers to make sure they put things in place to reduce the risk to employees. It refers to individuals who use DSE equipment continually for an hour or more. Under this legislation employers are required to:

Using display screen equipment incorrectly can lead to back, shoulder and neck pain and discomfort, fatigue and eye strain. Sitting incorrectly, such as being at the wrong height or hunching over a laptop screen can cause stiffness and discomfort in the upper body. A poor set up can also impact the wrists and hands. Prolonged use of a screen without sufficient breaks causes strain on the eyes which can lead to fatigue.

If these problems aren’t addressed, it could lead to chronic pain, headaches or musculo-skeletal disorders like repetitive strain injuries or carpal tunnel syndrome. Conditions like these tend to be caused by a combination of improper screen use, stressful workloads and repetitive tasks.

While the employer must provide a suitable workstation and proper training, employees also need to take responsibility for their own health and safety while using display screen equipment. Taking on board the guidance given in DSE training ensures that you are undertaking tasks with the correct posture, positioning and pace.

Ideagen’s Q-Pulse WorkRite DSE training for agile workers delivers all the key information that workers need to safely use relevant equipment in all situations. The e-learning material ensures that hybrid and homeworking employees know how to set up their own workstations and makes office workers aware of risks they might encounter and how to maintain best practice while hot desking.

Find out more about how to reduce health and safety display screen equipment risks with our display screen equipment training course for agile workers. Find out more

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 screen equipment - previously known as visual display units are used by millions of people every day, myself included, not only as I write this blog post, but I also spent a year working in a call centre for a huge company. So, other than the very angry people and the KPIs you had to entertain, one thing this particular company did get right were their obligations under the Display Screen Equipment Regulations (1992 & 2002).

To clarify - display screen equipment includes computers, laptops, touch screens and other devices that incorporate an alphanumeric or graphic display.  A user is someone who habitually uses DSE as part of their normal work. This piece isn"t aimed at people who use display screen equipment infrequently. An operator is a self-employed worker who habitually uses DSE for a significant part of their work.

Without proper instruction, most employees remain unaware of the serious impact the incorrect setup and use of DSE can have in the long term. It is a known fact that poorly arranged or equipped workstations are a major contributing factor of many work-related upper limb disorders, which can cause avoidablepain in both the short and long term. Other issues created by not addressing poorly designed workstations include fatigue, repetitive strain injury, carpal tunnel syndrome and eye strain leading to headaches and damage to eyesight.

You can find a full layout of your legal requirements in the HSE"s brief guide to Display Screen Equipment below. Prior to starting work a full risk assessment must be undertaken to outline the potential risks to your employee"s health and safety and a plan must be enacted to reduce or remove the discovered risks. In the call centre I worked in, the equipment adjusted to however you needed it and this is vital, not only under the law but comfortable staff are more productive. Breaks from using DSE are vital, short frequent breaks are better and these breaks don"t necessarily mean to stop working entirely, only that they should be away from DSE. Employers mustoffer free eye tests to all DSE users, as well as meeting the cost of basic glasses, this does not, however include designer frames. A lot of employees will choose to pay the additional cost for designer frames.

Account must be taken of daily work routines so that adequate breaks can be incorporated into the daily routine. This doesn"t always mean a break away from work, but away from DSE. This is a good time to make use of daily briefings etc.

As with most areas of work, certain training practices must be used to ensure employees are kept safe and are aware of the potential risks when it comes working with display screen equipment. You must also provide your staff with the knowledge and means to clean the mouse, keyboard and computer monitors. Another reason to ensure the correct method of cleaning is undertaken is to protect your equipment from any unnecessary damage. You should also provide your employees with an internal point of contact for any concerns or queries with regards to DSE.

Employees take regular breaks from looking at their screen - this doesn"t necessarily mean breaks from work, only from using display screen equipment.

Employers must ensure that employees are aware of their entitlement to yearly eye tests, with the cost being met by their employer in full. A competent person must carry out any eye test, this means a qualified optician.

Employers must provide their display screen equipment users with adequate health and safety training for any workstation they work at, including adjusting chairs and computer screens.

According to the Office for National Statistics (14 January 2021) 32% of the UK workforce were working remotely instead of at their normal place of work – for many a radical change to their working practice and lifestyle enforced by the current pandemic.

The move to home working has the potential to materially increase the risk to a worker’s health, safety and welfare. Computer work is a known source of RSI or upper limb disorders and other musculo-skeletal complaints. These risks arise not only from the change in equipment or lack of suitable equipment but also additional risks arising from social isolation, stress, and lack of supervision.

An employer has a duty of care to protect its workers from the health risks of working with display screen equipment (DSE). This includes PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones. This duty applies equally to those working from home as at work. In order to comply with this duty an employer should have regard to the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 which were amended and updated in 2002 (DSE Regulations 2002).

Under these regulations and in normal times a move to homeworking would have required the employer to perform a risk assessment or a review of any existing risk assessment due to the resulting changes to the workstation and working environment.

In response to the unique circumstances presented by the pandemic the HSE issued guidance for employers in March 2020 stating that there was ‘no increased risk from DSE work for those working at home temporarily’ and as such employers did not need to ask workers to carry out home workstation assessments. The HSE went onto say that during any period of temporary home working, employers needed to regularly discuss arrangements with their workers and if the work was adversely affecting their health, safety and welfare, then employers should take appropriate steps. In addition, the HSE stated that employers should provide workers with advice on completing their own ‘basic assessment’ at home.

The meaning of ‘temporarily’ was not defined by the HSE but it is likely that this guidance was designed to address a period of weeks of homeworking rather than months.

For those working at home in the longer term the HSE stated that the employer should be required to explain to the worker how to carry out a ‘full workstation assessment’ and provide appropriate equipment and advice on control measures. With the passage of time since March 2020 there will be an increasing expectation and duty on the part of the employer to have undertaken these steps.

The HSE Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) ‘Work with Display Screen Equipment’ provides guidance for employers in how to comply with their obligations under the DSE Regulations 2002 including how to conduct a full workstation assessment. This was written at a time when the vast majority of DSE users were work based. The guidance recommended that work-based risk assessments were carried out by health and safety personnel or other in-house staff who had specific DSE training. The assessment process included taking account of the views of individual users about their workstations as part of the assessment. For those working at home the HSE acknowledged that it would not be practicable for an employer to send someone to the address of a homeworker to conduct a risk assessment and proposed that the employer train the homeworker to undertake their own. In the pandemic the ‘self-assessment’ route has turned out to be not only the most practical solution but also the safest option.

The effectiveness of a homeworker’s own assessment will depend on the quality of the training and information provided by the employer. That training and information would need to include not only health and safety relating to DSE use (such as the need to maintain good posture and take frequent breaks and plan work routines) but also establishing clear lines of communication for reporting and resolving ergonomic issues experienced with workstations and for signs or symptoms of health problems. The HSE acknowledged in their guidance that additional training would be required for homeworkers as they are working unsupervised and might be more liable to pick up bad working habits.

In addition the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) are likely to become increasingly significant for homeworking going forwards. These Regulations cover equipment used by people at the workplace but also when working from home. Equipment used by an employee at work and at home is covered both where the equipment is provided by the employer and where the employee is providing their own. This would cover items such as desks and chairs. Under PUWER, employers are required to ensure that all equipment used by people for work is suitable and safe and that adequate training has been given in the use of it.

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 exist to protect desk workers from the health risks associated with using devices such as computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones (DSE) for extended periods of time.

Under the DSE regulations, employers have a duty of care to ensure their employees are set up to work safely in line with specific guidelines. If your team use DSE for more than an hour at a time every day, you are legally required to:

A study carried out by Specsavers revealed that less than 50% of employers fully understand DSE and desk assessment regulations and only 30% are in full compliance.

If you don’t follow and enforce the DSE regulations, your team may slip into all kinds of bad working practices such as staring at a screen for hours at a time, poor desk posture and incorrect workplace setups. All of these have the potential to snowball into much greater problems such as:

What is MSK? Your musculoskeletal system includes bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and soft tissues which work together to support your body’s weight and help you move. An MSK issue is any problem that prevents this system from functioning correctly, affecting the way you move.

DSE users have an increased rate of musculoskeletal issues like neckand back pain, most commonly caused by poor posture and incorrect screen positioning placing increased stress on the neck and back.

On average, 2.6% of a workforce will require time off work for musculoskeletal issues each year. Issues like chronic back pain can stop you from doing the things you love, whether that’s taking part in your favourite sport or playing with your kids.

65% of employees report some level of work-related pain, but a good ergonomic workspace setup can protect and maintain your team’s musculoskeletal health.

It’s widely accepted that physical and mental health are closely intertwined, so a deterioration in a person’s physical health can have harmful effects on their mental wellbeing.

Musculoskeletal pain can often result in psychological distress, leading to the development of depression and anxiety. Depression is four times more common in people with chronic pain compared to those without pain. 615 million people suffer from depression and anxiety worldwide, costing the global workforce an estimated $1 trillion in lost productivity each year.

Working long hours without breaks can also dramatically increase a person’s chances of developing burnoutand work-related stress. 75% of people have experienced burnout at work, with 40% saying they’ve experienced burnout specifically during the pandemic. The DSE guidance around frequent breaks and training can protect your team from falling victim to these conditions.

Many desk workers experience visual fatigue if they stare at screens for long periods of time without breaks, or work in areas with poor lightingor glare.

Did you know? A study by Specsavers revealed that many employers think eye tests are more costly than they actually are. It’s possible to purchase vouchers to cover both the full eye test and glasses for just £17 at some suppliers, so looking after your team’s visual health doesn’t need to be a costly affair!

If you don’t follow and comply with the DSE regulations, you are breaking Health and Safety law. You’re also putting yourself at risk of personal injury lawsuits if an employee sustains a workplace injury caused by poorly designed workstations or defective equipment.

If it can be proven you were negligent in providing a safe working setup, and this was the cause of an employee’s pain and injury, they will be able to make a hefty compensation claim:

A freelance journalist working for a national newspaper was able to claim £37,500 for a repetitive strain injuryshe incurred working an average of nine hours a night, as no risk assessment was undertaken at the start of her employment. When she developed stiffness and pain in her elbow, the HR department refused to help as she was not a permanent member of staff.

A German court ruled that a man who slipped whilst walking from his bed to his home office could claim on workplace accident insurance. The act of climbing the stairs to his home office was synonymous with the morning commute and therefore counted as a business route. This case reinforces the fact that an employer’s duty of care extends to the home for remote and hybrid workers.

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 exist to protect desk workers from the health risks associated with using devices such as computers, laptops, tablets and smartphones (DSE) for extended periods of time.

Under the DSE regulations, employers have a duty of care to ensure their employees are set up to work safely in line with specific guidelines. If your team use DSE for more than an hour at a time every day, you are legally required to:

A study carried out by Specsavers revealed that less than 50% of employers fully understand DSE and desk assessment regulations and only 30% are in full compliance.

If you don’t follow and enforce the DSE regulations, your team may slip into all kinds of bad working practices such as staring at a screen for hours at a time, poor desk posture and incorrect workplace setups. All of these have the potential to snowball into much greater problems such as:

What is MSK? Your musculoskeletal system includes bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments and soft tissues which work together to support your body’s weight and help you move. An MSK issue is any problem that prevents this system from functioning correctly, affecting the way you move.

DSE users have an increased rate of musculoskeletal issues like neckand back pain, most commonly caused by poor posture and incorrect screen positioning placing increased stress on the neck and back.

On average, 2.6% of a workforce will require time off work for musculoskeletal issues each year. Issues like chronic back pain can stop you from doing the things you love, whether that’s taking part in your favourite sport or playing with your kids.

65% of employees report some level of work-related pain, but a good ergonomic workspace setup can protect and maintain your team’s musculoskeletal health.

It’s widely accepted that physical and mental health are closely intertwined, so a deterioration in a person’s physical health can have harmful effects on their mental wellbeing.

Musculoskeletal pain can often result in psychological distress, leading to the development of depression and anxiety. Depression is four times more common in people with chronic pain compared to those without pain. 615 million people suffer from depression and anxiety worldwide, costing the global workforce an estimated $1 trillion in lost productivity each year.

Working long hours without breaks can also dramatically increase a person’s chances of developing burnoutand work-related stress. 75% of people have experienced burnout at work, with 40% saying they’ve experienced burnout specifically during the pandemic. The DSE guidance around frequent breaks and training can protect your team from falling victim to these conditions.

Many desk workers experience visual fatigue if they stare at screens for long periods of time without breaks, or work in areas with poor lightingor glare.

Did you know? A study by Specsavers revealed that many employers think eye tests are more costly than they actually are. It’s possible to purchase vouchers to cover both the full eye test and glasses for just £17 at some suppliers, so looking after your team’s visual health doesn’t need to be a costly affair!

If you don’t follow and comply with the DSE regulations, you are breaking Health and Safety law. You’re also putting yourself at risk of personal injury lawsuits if an employee sustains a workplace injury caused by poorly designed workstations or defective equipment.

If it can be proven you were negligent in providing a safe working setup, and this was the cause of an employee’s pain and injury, they will be able to make a hefty compensation claim:

A freelance journalist working for a national newspaper was able to claim £37,500 for a repetitive strain injuryshe incurred working an average of nine hours a night, as no risk assessment was undertaken at the start of her employment. When she developed stiffness and pain in her elbow, the HR department refused to help as she was not a permanent member of staff.

A German court ruled that a man who slipped whilst walking from his bed to his home office could claim on workplace accident insurance. The act of climbing the stairs to his home office was synonymous with the morning commute and therefore counted as a business route. This case reinforces the fact that an employer’s duty of care extends to the home for remote and hybrid workers.

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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.

Display Screen Equipment (DSE) is the term used to define electronic devices used at work, such as computers, laptops and handheld devices. The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 state that DSE includes “any alphanumeric or graphic display screen, regardless of the display process involved.’

A DSE ‘user’ is someone who uses DSE ‘daily, for continuous periods of an hour or more’. Only users who fall within this definition are covered by the DSE Regulations, but it is good practice to ensure that every member of staff is comfortable in their workplace set up, and uses equipment suitable for the task.

The Regulations require that all employers carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment on workstations and it is suggested that a suitable way is to use an ergonomic checklist, which covers items such as the visual display unit, the keyboard, mouse or trackpad, as well as the user’s general workstation and chair. Trained personnel must carry out the DSE risk assessment, and must be familiar with the main requirements of the DSE Regulations. They should have the ability to:

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.

The Health & Safety Executive definition is "DSE are devices or equipment that have an alphanumeric or graphic display screen and includes display screens, laptops, touch screens and other similar devices."

The definition of DSE at regulation 1(2)(a) covers both conventional (cathode-ray tube) display screens and other types such as liquid crystal or plasma displays used in flat-panel screens, touchscreens and other emerging technologies. Display screens mainly used to display line drawings, graphs, charts or computer-generated graphics are included, as are screens used in work with television or film pictures. The definition is not limited to typical office situations or computer screens but also covers, for example, non-electronic display systems such as microfiche. DSE used in factories and other non-office workplaces is included, although in some situations such as screens used for process control or closed-circuit television (CCTV), certain requirements may not apply.

DSE or display screen regs are; The health and safety (display screen equipment) regulations 1992, as amended by the health and safety (miscellaneous amendments) regulations 2002.

They apply to anybody who uses DSE or display screen equipment for continuous or near-continuous spells of an hour or more at a time. Use DSE in this way more or less daily, and have to transfer information quickly to or from the DSE.

The Regulations were introduced because DSE has become one of the most common kinds of work equipment and the aim is to protect the health of people who work with DSE. The basic requirements of the Regulations are to ensure employers provide:

A suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the workstation, including the software in use, trip and electrical hazards from trailing cables and the surrounding environment;

Commonly known as Work Related Upper Limb Disorders or WRULDs associated with display screen equipment are from over or improper use and are caused by poor posture and poorly designed work stations.

There is no medical evidence that DSE causes deterioration in eye sight, but users may suffer from visual fatigue which results in eye strain, sore eyes and headaches.

Eye strain is a particular problem for people who spend a large proportion of their working day using DSE. A survey has indicated that up to 90% of DSE users complain of eye fatigue.

Psychological problems are generally stress-related. They may have environmental causes, such as noise, heat, humidity or poor lighting, but they are usually due to high-speed working, lack of breaks, poor training and poor workstation design.

the employer who carries on the undertaking shall ensure that he is provided with adequate health and safety training in the use of any workstation upon which he may be required to work.

In January 1992, the first ‘DSE Regulations’ were published by theUK Health & Safety Executiveas part of the so-called ‘Six Pack’, a set of six Regulations that spelled out the necessary actions of a responsible employer. In the main, these were not new but provided more detail about what needed to be done to comply with the requirements of the1974 Health & Safety at Work Act.

These Regulations relate to the risk management of those using ‘any alphanumeric or graphic display, regardless of the display process involved’. When the Regulations first came into force, they related principally to people using desktop computers although, today, the scope obviously includes laptops, tablets, smartphones and all similar devices.

The Regulations provide guidance about how employers must support and protect the health of their employees (users) who operate Display Screen Equipment.