Workplace Ergonomic / DSE Assessments
According to the HSE (2023), 35 million days are lost to British industry every year as a result of accidents and ill health caused by work activities. A large number of these accidents are down to a lack of thought and planning concerning the use of everyday systems, and as such, a poor DSE / ergonomic “set-up” and working environment can not only result in significant health related problems, but it can also lead to costly consequences for your business.
With musculoskeletal problems currently being the second most common work-related illness in the UK, it is vital to ensure that your employee’s DSE arrangements and working environment are appropriate, and suitable for their needs.
The most important obligation under the Health & Safety (H&S) Display Screen Equipment (DSE) regulations 1992 (as amended 2002) is to ensure that use of DSE does not pose a risk to the health of the user. There are also H&S obligations regarding the environment in which an employee accesses in order to undertake their work.
- Under (Regulation 1.2a of the DSE regulations), DSE is described as any alphanumeric or graphic display screen, regardless of display process involved.
- Under (Regulation 1.2e of the DSE regulations), Workstation is described as any assembly comprising display screen equipment, any optional accessories to the display screen, any peripherals to the display screen equipment (i.e., scanner, printer, footrest) and the immediate work environment.
- Under (Regulation 1.2d of the DSE regulations), User is described as any employee who habitually uses DSE as a significant part of their normal work.
It is important to be aware that all “workstations”, whether this is in an office within the business’ building, in the employee’s home, in a hotel room, on an airplane, or a train etc. are subject to the DSE regulations and this is particularly pertinent for employers to consider, especially since the increase in home working / hybrid working arrangements.
It is equally important to understand that DSE is not dependent on a particular technology, nor is it static; new technology has promoted new ways of working such as the use of the mobile phones, laptops, portable hand held iPad’s, docking stations / download devices for body worn technology etc.
The DSE regulations as referred to identify two training requirements:
- DSE users should be provided with adequate H&S training in the use of any workstation he or she may be required to operate
- Training should be provided to ensure assessors are competent to carry out the assessments.
Workstation DSE / Ergonomic assessments should only be undertaken by suitably trained and competent assessors. Essentially, there are three levels of assessment which may be appropriate, depending on the level of complexity, the incidence of problems, or apparent risks. For each “level of assessment”, there are several factors to consider such as:
- Lighting (reflection and glare)
- Monitors (flat screen, CRT, settings)
- Keyboards (types and alternatives)
- Mice (types and alternatives)
- Desking (styles and problems)
- Seating (the chair, adjustments, common problems, how to select, measuring people up)
- Comfort (the human body, i.e., temperature, and the relevance of human factors in the workplace)
- Other factors (mobile, laptop, and special needs etc.)
Level 1 assessment involves an assessor examining DSE / workstation “self-assessment” checklists that have been completed by the users themselves.
Level 2 assessment involves a trained assessor observing the user at their workstation and assessing, in a systematic way the potential hazards, the risks that arise from display screen use, and the extent of these risks. The assessor should also identify suitable remedial action so that a decision can be made about what should be done to resolve any issues.
Level 3 assessment involves a professionally qualified specialist conducting a detailed assessment of the risks at the display screen user’s workstation. This assessment may be based on checklists, similar to the Level 2 assessment, but may also involve direct measurement of the DSE and / or its workstation, including the environment.
In many cases, remedial action will not involve substantial expenditure, however if the risk identified is small and the remedial action deemed complex and expensive, then it may not be reasonable to carry it out. In this instance, it is advised that a full Occupational Health musculoskeletal case management referral is arranged with a Specialist Occupational Health Clinician to establish whether there are any other considerations, or measures that can be implemented to reduce or to eliminate the risk, and to professionally advise on any occupational adjustments / restrictions etc. that may need to be considered.
It is important to consider that if following a workplace DSE / Ergonomic assessment the risk is deemed to be significant, you will be informed that remedial action will be required, even if it does result in significant expenditure to the business.
At TJM Occupational Health and Wellbeing, our Advanced DSE Assessor has undergone specialist training which is accredited and recognised by the Chartered Institute of ergonomics and Human Factors. Therefore, if you, or your employee have any concerns regarding any musculoskeletal issues, and / or the DSE / Ergonomic working arrangements, please do not hesitate to get in touch to seek advice on what your next steps should be.
