Display Screen Equipment (DSE)

Welcome to the third edition of “Compliance Companion,” your trusted guide to staying informed and compliant, brought to you by A.C.T. (National) Ltd.??

After our second issue, the Legislation Update for April 2024, our third issue brings advice regarding display equipment, the regulations and what can be done in order to ensure compliance.?

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“Dear Readers,?

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Welcome to the third edition of “Compliance Companion,” your trusted guide to staying informed and compliant, brought to you by A.C.T. (National) Ltd.??

?As we continue our journey together, we are pleased to bring you the latest insights and advice in the world of compliance. After our second issue, the Legislation Update for April 2024, our third issue brings advice regarding display equipment, the regulations and what can be done in order to ensure compliance.?

?In this edition, we delve into the world of Display Screen Equipment (DSE), a ubiquitous part of our modern work environment. We explore what DSE means, the health problems associated with its use, and how these issues can be prevented through good workstation design, ergonomics, good working practice and DSE user training.?

?We also highlight the importance of DSE workstation risk assessments and discuss the key risk factors that need to be assessed for each DSE user. We share a case study from 2006 where a freelance Journalist successfully claimed ￡37,500 for repetitive strain injury, highlighting the importance of proper risk assessment and management.?

?In our legal duties section, we outline the main areas of health and safety law relevant to DSE. We also provide recommendations for employers on how to ensure compliance with DSE regulations and promote a healthy work environment.?

?Finally, we touch upon the topic of working from home, a method that is here to stay. We discuss the responsibilities of employers towards home workers and provide guidance on how to ensure a safe and comfortable home working environment.?

As always, we are here to provide competent advice for your business regarding the Management of Health and Safety. If you are looking to improve safety management please get in touch today.?

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Remember, staying informed is the first step towards staying compliant."?

John Garnett-Turner, FCMI, Cert (HE) Law, TechIOSH?

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What is display screen equipment (DSE)??

DSE means any alphanumeric or graphic display screen, regardless of the display process involved (Work with Display Screen Equipment ACoP, HSE, 2003) and thus covers conventional display screens, touchscreens and mobile devices. The Display Screen Equipment Regulations only apply to those who habitually use DSE as a significant part of their normal work.?

The health problems associated with use of DSE include:?

? Upper limb disorders, such as pain in the neck, hands and wrists. These are often termed work-related upper limb disorders (WRULDs)?

? Back ache?

? Fatigue and stress?

? Headaches and temporary eye strain – but not eye damage?

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The likelihood of experiencing these symptoms is related mainly to the frequency, duration, intensity and pace of continuous use of DSE. Such health issues can be prevented by good workstation design, ergonomics, good working practice and DSE user training.?

In 2021, The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EUOSHA) estimated that 120 million people in Europe were suffering with a chronic Musculoskeletal Disorder (MSD) – representing 1 in 4 of Europe’s working population. In the UK, the HSE estimates that in 2022/23 MSDs in workers accounted for the loss of 6.6 million working days.?

There is a growing amount of research on other health effects associated with prolonged sitting including heart disease, diabetes, increased cholesterol and obesity.?

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DSE workstation risk assessments?

The key risk factors that need to be assessed for each DSE user are:?

? display screens?

? keyboards?

? mouse, trackball etc?

? software suitability?

? furniture – chair and desk?

? working environment – lighting, temperature, noise, and space?

? work activities?

? any specific worker vulnerabilities?

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Case law?

2006 – Freelancer successfully claimed ￡37,500 for repetitive strain injury.?

A freelance journalist working for a national newspaper claimed that she worked almost exclusively using a mouse, at speed, for an average of nine hours a night, and up to 45 hours a week, without proper breaks.?

No risk assessment was undertaken at the start of her employment and 15 months after starting work, the claimant developed stiffness and pain in her right elbow. Her GP gave her a cortisone injection to ease the pain and recommended that she seek help from her employer.??

The employer’s HR department refused to help, as she was not a permanent member of staff. Eventually she was unable to bend her elbow and was unable to continue working.?

Following nine months of physiotherapy she was able to return to a lower paid job in media.?

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Legal duties?

The main areas of health and safety law relevant to DSE are:?

? Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974?

? Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 (as amended)?

? Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (as amended)?

? Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (as amended)?

? Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 (as amended)?

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Display Screen Equipment Recommendations for employers:?

? Assess the workstation and reduce any identified risks to workers from use of DSE – user self-assessment is common, with employer-appointed DSE assessors providing appropriate support.?

? Provide training to both workstation assessors and DSE users.?

? Ensure all workstations meet the specified minimum ergonomic requirements as set out in the Display Screen Equipment Regulations (the DSE Regulations) 1992.?

? Where possible, consider the possibility of offering the option of both sitting and standing at workstations.?

? Encourage workers to plan work activities so that they include micro breaks or changes of activity. This can be achieved using software which monitors usage and reminds users to take stretch breaks and micro-breaks. Having control over their work activities is good for worker mental health.?

? Provide eye and eyesight tests on request for those identified as a user, and special spectacles if required specifically for DSE work.?

? Inform users what you have done.?

? Ensure homeworkers (and those using DSE remotely) for prolonged periods have a workstation assessment. For hybrid workers this may mean a worker having two such assessments.?

? Make provision to accommodate workers who have an MSD – on the basis that employers are legally required to accommodate workers with disabilities and having a chronic MSD does not usually preclude a person from remaining in work. Often, the adoption of simple measures will support both a worker’s good mental and physical health and retain their expertise for the benefit of their employer.?

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Control methods or risk reduction techniques must be used to:?

? Provide a clear statement to workers that the risk of DSE health related problems is taken seriously at all levels of the organisation.?

? Monitor the control measures and review them to ensure ongoing effectiveness.?

? Ensure all workers are aware of the risks from using DSE and the likely effects.?

? Provide information on the legal framework surrounding use of DSE and the employer/employees’ duties under them.?

? Provide support following symptoms or diagnosis.?

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Working from home?

As an employer you have the same health and safety responsibilities for home workers as for any other workers. When workers are home based on a long-term arrangement the risks attached to DSE work must be controlled. ‘Work from Home’ workers, should complete a full DSE assessment. Employers should ensure that home workers can achieve a comfortable, sustainable posture while working with DSE, and that any equipment provided is safe and suitable for use. Temporary home workers could be provided with a basic DSE assessment for their home working environment. Where possible temporary homeworkers should be provided with specialised DSE equipment.?

The HSE advise that homeworkers may not necessarily need office-type furniture or equipment at home to achieve a good posture. Equally, a worker’s own furniture or equipment may not be suitable or sufficient. The DSE assessments should be used to help the employer decide what is needed for their workers’ specific situation and circumstance.?

Employers should also ask their workers to visually check for any damage to sockets, plugs, or leads used in connection with their work, and give advice on the hazards of overloaded extension cables. Employers are only responsible for electrical equipment that they have provided to their workers but should make sure it is being used in a safe environment.?

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If you would like competent advice for your business regarding the Management of Health and Safety, for help with DSE, or if you are looking to improve existing safety management please get in touch today at our website www.actnational.co.uk, by email [email protected], or by phone on 01977 797 359.?

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Disclaimer?

Legislation updates are provided by A.C.T. (National) Ltd for general guidance on matters of interest. In making these documents available to a general and diverse audience it is not possible to anticipate the requirements or the hazards of any subscriber’s business. Users are therefore advised to carefully evaluate the contents and adapt the legislation updates to suit the requirements of each situation or activity. A.C.T. (National) Ltd does not accept any liability whatsoever for injury, damage, or other losses that may arise from reliance on this information and the use of these documents.?