Work with display screen equipment

Transcription

1 Work with display scree equipmet Health ad Safety (Display Scree Equipmet) Regulatios 1992 as ameded by the Health ad Safety (Miscellaeous Amedmets) Regulatios 2002 Guidace o Regulatios This is a free-to-dowload, web-friedly versio of L26, (2d editio, published 2003). This versio has bee adapted for olie use from HSE s curret prited versio. You ca buy the book at ad most good bookshops. ISBN Price 8.95 This revised publicatio gives comprehesive guidace o work with display screes (visual display uits). It describes how you ca comply with the Health ad Safety (Display Scree Equipmet) Regulatios These regulatios apply to compaies that use computer screes ad similar equipmet. It also gives advice o how to avoid the health risks associated with screebased work, which ca iclude musculoskeletal disorders, visual fatigue ad metal stress. HSE Books Page 1 of 68

2 Crow copyright 2003 First published 1992 Secod editio 2003 Reprited 2003, 2005, 2008 ISBN All rights reserved. No part of this publicatio may be reproduced, stored i a retrieval system, or trasmitted i ay form or by ay meas (electroic, mechaical, photocopyig, recordig or otherwise) without the prior writte permissio of the copyright ower. Applicatios for reproductio should be made i writig to: The Office of Public Sector Iformatio, Iformatio Policy Team, Kew, Richmod, Surrey TW9 4DU or licesig@opsi.gov.uk This guidace is issued by the Health ad Safety. Followig the guidace is ot compulsory ad you are free to take other actio. But if you do follow the guidace you will ormally be doig eough to comply with the law. Health ad safety ispectors seek to secure compliace with the law ad may refer to this guidace as illustratig good practice. Page 2 of 68

3 Cotets Itroductio 5 Regulatio 1 Citatio, commecemet, iterpretatio ad applicatio 6 Which display scree equipmet is covered? 7 Who is a display scree user or operator? 7 What is a workstatio? 11 Applicatio 11 Applicatio of the DSE Regulatios to special groups of workers 13 Regulatio 2 Aalysis of workstatios to assess ad reduce risks 15 Suitable ad sufficiet aalysis ad risk assessmet 16 The form of the assessmet 17 Shared workstatios 17 Who should do assessmets? 18 Review of assessmet 18 Reducig risks 19 Sources of iformatio ad advice 19 Stadards 19 Regulatio 3 Requiremets for workstatios 20 Applicatio of the Schedule 21 Trasitioal period ad exclusios 23 Regulatio 4 Daily work routie of users 23 Nature ad timig of breaks or chages of activity 24 The employer s duty to pla activities 24 Regulatio 5 Eyes ad eyesight 25 Eye ad eyesight test 26 Visio screeig tests 27 Regularity of provisio of eye ad eyesight tests 28 Corrective appliaces 28 Employers liability for costs 29 Regulatio 6 Provisio of traiig 29 Regulatio 7 Provisio of iformatio 31 Regulatio 8 Exemptio certificates 33 Regulatio 9 Extesio outside Great Britai 34 Schedule Miimum requiremets for workstatios 34 Appedix 1 Guidace o workstatio miimum requiremets 37 Appedix 2 Health effects of DSE work ad priciples of successful prevetio, treatmet ad rehabilitatio 45 Appedix 3 Work with portable DSE 50 Appedix 4 Work with a mouse, trackball or other poitig device 55 Appedix 5 VDU workstatio checklist 59 Work with display scree equipmet Page 3 of 68

4 Appedix 6 Sources of iformatio ad advice 65 Refereces ad further readig 66 Work with display scree equipmet Page 4 of 68

5 Itroductio 1 This book gives detailed ad comprehesive guidace about work with display scree equipmet (ofte kow as VDUs). It describes how to comply with the Health ad Safety (Display Scree Equipmet) Regulatios (referred to here as the DSE Regulatios). It covers both office work ad other eviromets where display scree equipmet (DSE) may be used. It is iteded for people who eed to cosider all the detailed implicatios of the law. For those who just wat basic practical advice o how to comply with the Regulatios whe usig ordiary DSE i offices, a alterative publicatio is our shorter, illustrated book The law o VDUs: A easy guide. 1 2 This book sets out iformatio, explaatio or advice o each mai part of the DSE Regulatios. Throughout the documet, extracts of the DSE Regulatios are prited i italics ad the guidace o them is i plai type. Where the DSE Regulatios are self-explaatory o commet is offered. 3 The mai risks that may arise i work with DSE are musculoskeletal disorders such as back pai or upper limb disorders (sometimes kow as repetitive strai ijury or RSI), visual fatigue, ad metal stress. While the risks to idividual users are ofte low (see paragraph 33), they ca still be sigificat if good practice is ot followed. DSE workers are also so umerous that the amout of ill health associated with such work is sigificat ad tacklig it is importat.that is what the DSE Regulatios set out to achieve. Appedix 2 gives further iformatio o the health risks i DSE work, ad explais how efforts to reduce these risks will lik ito the Health ad Safety Commissio s strategy for occupatioal health. 4 This book gives guidace o the Health ad Safety (Display Scree Equipmet) Regulatios 1992, as ameded by the Health ad Safety (Miscellaeous Amedmets) Regulatios 2002.The DSE Regulatios came ito force i 1993 to implemet a Europea Directive, No. 90/270/EEC of 29 May 1990, o miimum safety ad health requiremets for work with DSE. 5 This book, revised i 2003, takes accout of the recet chages to the DSE Regulatios metioed i paragraph 4. Oly regulatios 3, 5 ad 6 have bee ameded ad the ew versios are reproduced here.the guidace has bee revised i other places, to brig it up to date with chages i techology ad improvemets i kowledge of risks ad how to avoid them. However, the mai messages about actios employers ad workers should take to prevet risks have altered very little. 6 The advice i this book covers the DSE Regulatios oly, ad refereces to a regulatio are, uless otherwise stated, to that part of the DSE Regulatios. Employers should esure that they also comply with geeral duties placed o them by other health ad safety legislatio, such as the Health ad Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (the HSW Act), 2 the Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios 1999, 3 the Workplace (Health, Safety ad Welfare) Regulatios 1992 (as ameded), 4 ad the Provisio ad Use of Work Equipmet Regulatios 1998 (as ameded). 5 There are other HSE guidace books such as Essetials of health ad safety at work 6 that describe the requiremets of this geeral legislatio. 7 Overlaps betwee geeral ad specific legislatio occur where broadly applicable legislatio (such as the Regulatios metioed i paragraph 6) imposes a geeral duty similar to a more specific oe i the DSE Regulatios; examples are give i items ad below. I such cases the legal requiremet is to comply Work with display scree equipmet Page 5 of 68

6 with both the more specific ad the geeral duties. However, this should ot give rise to ay difficulty i practice. For example i display scree work: carryig out the suitable ad sufficiet aalysis of workstatios ad risk assessmet required by regulatio 2 of the DSE Regulatios (see paragraph 37) will also satisfy the requiremet i the Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios for risk assessmet, as far as those workstatios are cocered; esurig that the requiremets for lightig, reflectios ad glare i the schedule to the DSE Regulatios are met (see paragraphs of Appedix 1) will also satisfy the requiremets for suitable ad sufficiet lightig i the Provisio ad Use of Work Equipmet Regulatios ad the Workplace (Health, Safety ad Welfare) Regulatios 1992, 4 as far as the DSE workstatios are cocered. 8 Where DSE is used but such use is ot covered by the DSE Regulatios (because the equipmet is exempt or there is o defied user or operator - see the guidace o regulatio 1), the workers cocered are still protected by the HSW Act 2 ad the other geeral legislatio described i paragraph 6. (Examples are the requiremets for suitable ad sufficiet lightig i the Provisio ad Use of Work Equipmet Regulatios ad the Workplace (Health, Safety ad Welfare) Regulatios 1992, 4 ad the geeral requiremets for risk assessmet ad provisio of traiig ad iformatio i the Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios 1999). 3 Where a display scree is i use but the DSE Regulatios do ot apply, the assessmet of risks ad measures take to cotrol them should take accout of ergoomic factors applicable to DSE work. Regulatio Regulatio 1 Citatio, commecemet, iterpretatio ad applicatio (1) These Regulatios may be cited as the Health ad Safety (Display Scree Equipmet) Regulatios 1992 ad shall come ito force o 1 Jauary (2) I these Regulatios display scree equipmet meas ay alphaumeric or graphic display scree, regardless of the display process ivolved; operator meas a self-employed perso who habitually uses display scree equipmet as a sigificat part of his ormal work; use meas use for or i coectio with work; (d) user meas a employee who habitually uses display scree equipmet as a sigificat part of his ormal work; ad (e) workstatio meas a assembly comprisig (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) display scree equipmet (whether provided with softwaredetermiig the iterface betwee the equipmet ad its operator or user, a keyboard or ay other iput device), ay optioal accessories to the display scree equipmet, ay disk drive, telephoe, modem, priter, documet holder, work chair, work desk, work surface or other item peripheral to the display scree equipmet, ad the immediate work eviromet aroud the display scree equipmet. 1 (1-3) (3) Ay referece i these Regulatios to a umbered regulatio is a referece to the regulatio i these Work with display scree equipmet Page 6 of 68

7 Regulatio 1 (1-3) Regulatios so umbered; or a umbered paragraph is a referece to the paragraph so umbered i the regulatio i which the referece appears. Guidace Which display scree equipmet is covered? 9 With a few exceptios (see paragraphs 21-26), the defiitio of DSE at regulatio 1(2) covers both covetioal (cathode-ray tube) display screes ad other types such as liquid crystal or plasma displays used i flat-pael screes, touchscrees ad other emergig techologies. Display screes maily used to display lie drawigs, graphs, charts or computer-geerated graphics are icluded, as are screes used i work with televisio or film pictures (this poit has bee clarified i a case heard before the Europea Court of Justice, ECJ case C-11/99). The defiitio is ot limited to typical office situatios or computer screes but also covers, for example o-electroic display systems such as microfiche. DSE used i factories ad other o-office workplaces is icluded (subject to the exceptios i paragraphs 21-26), although i some situatios such as screes used for process cotrol or closed-circuit televisio (CCTV), certai requiremets may ot apply (see paragraphs 55-57). Who is the display scree user or operator? 10 The DSE Regulatios are for the protectio of people - employees ad selfemployed - who habitually use DSE for the purposes of a employer s udertakig as a sigificat part of their ormal work. 11 Regulatio 1(2)(d) defies the employees who are covered as users Regulatios 2 to 7 apply to protect users, whether they are employed to work: at their ow employer s workstatio; at a workstatio at home; or at aother employer s workstatio. Further guidace o homeworkers, teleworkers ad agecy workers is give at paragraphs The protectio afforded by regulatios 2, 3 ad 7 also exteds to selfemployed people who work at a employer s workstatio ad whose use of DSE is such that they would be users if employed. They are defied i regulatio 1(2) as operators for the purposes of the DSE Regulatios. 13 Employers must therefore decide which of their employees are DSE users ad whether they also make use of other users (employed by other employers) or of operators.workers who do ot iput or extract iformatio by meas of DSE eed ot be regarded as users or operators i this cotext - for example may of those egaged i maufacture, sales, maiteace or cleaig of DSE.Whether or ot those ivolved i DSE work are users or operators depeds o the ature ad extet of their use of the equipmet. 1 (1-3) 14 It is worth bearig i mid the reasoig behid these defiitios.the possible risk factors associated with DSE use are maily those leadig to musculoskeletal problems, visual fatigue ad stress (see Appedix 2).The likelihood of experiecig these is related maily to the frequecy, duratio, itesity ad pace of spells of cotiuous use of DSE, allied to other factors, such as the amout of discretio the perso has over the extet ad methods of display scree use.the combiatio of factors which give rise to risks makes it impossible to lay dow hard-ad-fast rules (for example based o set hours usage per day or week) about who should be classified as a user or operator. Work with display scree equipmet Page 7 of 68

8 Guidace 15 Where it is clear that use of DSE is more or less cotiuous o most days, the idividuals cocered should be regarded as users or operators. This will iclude the majority of those whose job maily ivolves, for example DSE based data iput or sales ad order processig.where use is less cotiuous or frequet, other factors coected with the job must be assessed. It will geerally be appropriate to classify the perso cocered as a user or operator if they: ormally use DSE for cotiuous or ear-cotiuous spells of a hour or more at a time; ad use DSE i this way more or less daily; ad have to trasfer iformatio quickly to or from the DSE; ad also eed to apply high levels of attetio ad cocetratio; or are highly depedet o DSE or have little choice about usig it; or eed special traiig or skills to use the DSE. 16 Part-time workers should be assessed usig the same criteria. For example if a employee works oly two days a week but speds most of that time o DSE work, that perso should defiitely be cosidered a user. 17 Not all employers may wish to aalyse each job to decide whether the perso doig it is a user (or operator). It is a optio to simply decide that all staff who have access to DSE will be treated as users. This ca save effort ad allow resources to be cocetrated o idetifyig, prioritisig ad remedyig risks. 1 (1-3) 18 Table 1 gives some examples to illustrate factors i the decisio o who is a user. (This is ot a exhaustive list of display scree jobs.) Table 1 Who is a display scree user? Some examples Defiite display scree users Word processig worker. Employed o full-time documet creatio ad amedmet. A mix of checkig documets o scree, keyboard iput ad formattig. Some chage of posture ivolved i collectig work, operatig priter, etc. Ofte five hours i total o the DSE work itself, with a luch break ad at least two breaks morig ad afteroo. Secretary or typist. Uses DSE (typically a PC ad priter) for word processig of reports, memos, letters from mauscript ad dictatio, combied with . Some variatio i workload ad some degree of cotrol over schedulig throughout the day. Typically aroud two or three hours DSE use daily. Data iput operator. Employed full time o cotiuous processig of ivoices. Predomiatly umeric iput usig umeric key pad. May be subject to a system of keystroke moitorig with associated bous paymets. News sub-editor. Makes use of DSE more or less cotiuously with peak workloads. Some text iput to abridge/précis stories, but maily scaig copy for fact, puctuatio, grammar ad size. Jouralist. Patter of work may be variable but icludes substatial use of DSE. Iformatio collected by field or telephoe iterviews (which may ivolve use of a portable computer) followed by, typically, several hours text iput while workig o a story. Work likely to be characterised by deadlies ad iterruptios. Some days may cotai periods of less itese work but with more prologed keyboard Work with display scree equipmet Page 8 of 68

9 text etry ad compositio. Telesales/customer complaits/accouts equiry/directory equiry operator. Ofte employed i a call cetre, ad makig fairly costat use of DSE while makig or takig telephoe calls to or from customers. Amout of keyboard work may be low, but reliat o DSE to do the job. Microelectroics assembly or testig operative. Uses DSE to view tests or completed compoets. Uses the DSE frequetly for, typically, repetitive operatios throughout the workig shift. A dedicated test pael may be used i place of a stadard keyboard. Televisio editig techicia. Mai work is usig DSE to view ad process video sequeces to prepare them for broadcastig. Security cotrol room operative. Mai work is to moitor a bak of display screes showig the pictures from CCTV cameras, ad operate cotrols to select, zoom i, etc o particular images. Air traffic cotroller. Mai task is moitorig of purpose-desiged screes for air traffic movemets combied with commuicatio with air crew o avigatio, etc. High visual ad metal workload ad cosequeces of errors critical. Shift-work. Fiacial dealer. Uses a dedicated workstatio typically with multiple display screes. Variable ad upredictable workload. Ofte highly stressful situatios with iformatio overload. Ofte log hours. Graphic desiger. Works o multimedia applicatios. Itesive scrutiy of images at high resolutio. Large screes. Page make-up. Multiple iput devices. Colour systems critical. Libraria. Carries out itesive text iput to databases; accessig ad checkig o database records; creatig summaries ad reports; combiig data already o the system with ew material iputted. DSE work either itesive throughout the day o most days, or more itermittet but still formig aroud half of the total workig time. Possible display scree users - depedig o the circumstaces The followig are examples of jobs whose occupats may or may ot be desigated as display scree users, depedig o circumstaces. I reachig a decisio, employers will eed to judge the relative importace of differet aspects of the work, weighig these agaist the factors discussed i paragraph 15 of the mai guidace ad bearig i mid the risks to which the job holder may be exposed. If there is doubt over whether a idividual is a user, carryig out a risk assessmet (see regulatio 2) should help i reachig a decisio. Scietist/techical adviser. Works o DSE for word processig of a few letters/ memos per day; ad moitorig of for a short period, average aroud half a hour i total, o most days. At irregular itervals, uses DSE itesively for data aalysis of research results. Discussio: This scietist s daily use of DSE is relatively brief, o-itese ad he or she would have a good deal of discretio over whe ad how the equipmet was used. Judged agaist this daily use, he or she would ot be classed as a user. However this decisio might be reversed if the periods of use for aalysis of research results were at all frequet, of log duratio ad itesive. Ad icreasigly, DSE is beig used for a wideig rage of tasks (i the laboratory, as Work with display scree equipmet Page 9 of 68

10 i may other workplaces), makig it more likely that the workers cocered will be users. Cliet maager. Workig i a large maagemet accoutig cosultacy. Dedicated DSE o desk. Daily use of to read, prepare ad sed messages. Typically 1.5 to 2 hours daily. Discussio: Whether or ot such maagers are classed as users will deped o the extet ad ature of their use of . For example how cotiuous is use of the scree ad/or keyboard durig each period of use? Is there discretio as to the extet of use of ? How log is the total daily use of , ad how log is the DSE used for aythig else? Bak or buildig society customer support officer. Has shared use of office, desk ad display scree workstatio. DSE used durig iterviews with cliets to iterrogate HQ database to obtai customer details, trasactios, etc ad to prepare fiacial proposals ad estimates. Discussio: Decisio will be iflueced by: what proportio of the idividual worker s time is spet usig the DSE; are there ay prologed ad/or itesive periods of use; ad what are the cosequeces of errors (this factor may be relevat if the job ivolves iputtig fiacial data as well as searchig a database). Airlie check-i clerk. The workload i the job as a whole varies throughout the day, with occasioal peaks of itesive work associated with particular flights. Use of DSE follows a predictable patter; typically, used as part of most trasactios but may ot be a sigificat proportio of total workig time. Discussio: There eeds to be cosideratio of how equipmet is used ad for what purpose. Is the DSE used durig most parts of the check-i process or oly a few of them? Is the workload of trasactios high? What proportio of each trasactio ivolves viewig the scree or keyig i data? To what extet is iteractio with the scree rushed ad itesive? What are the cosequeces of errors? Commuity care worker. Uses a portable computer to make otes durig ad/or followig iterviews or visits i the field. Discussio: Decisios o whether or ot those usig laptops are users eed to be made o the same basis as if they were usig o-portable equipmet. Some of the specific miimum requiremets i the Schedule may ot be applicable to portables i prologed use, as the iheret characteristics of the task (for example the eed for mobility ad portability) may rule them out. However, it is importat that such work is properly assessed, that users are adequately traied, ad that measures are take to cotrol risks. More guidace o portables is give i Appedix 3. Receptioist. Job ivolves frequet use of DSE, for example to check or eter details of each visitor ad/or provide them with iformatio. Discussio: The ature, frequecy ad duratio of periods of DSE work eed to be assessed. Some, perhaps most, receptioists would ot be classed as users if most of their work cosists of face-to-face cotact ad/or phoe calls, with a display scree oly beig used occasioally (see fial part of this table, below). Work with display scree equipmet Page 10 of 67

11 Defiitely ot display scree users Seior maager. Workig i a large orgaisatio, usig DSE for occasioal moitorig of state of markets or other data, or more frequet but brief equiries. Does ot deped o DSE for most of their work ad ca choose whether or ot to use it persoally. Seior maager. Uses DSE (sometimes a laptop) ifrequetly for short periods, for geeratio/maipulatio of statistics for presetatio at meetigs. Receptioist. If work is maily cocered with customer-public iteractio, with the possibility of usig DSE occasioally for limited purposes, for example obtaiig details of staff telephoe umbers, locatios; or itermittet moitorig of a sigle CCTV scree. Guidace 19 Table 2 shows how the criteria i paragraph 15 relate to the job examples i Table 1. What is a workstatio? 1 (1-3) Regulatio 20 Uder regulatio 1(2)(e), a workstatio exists wherever there is DSE (icludig portable DSE i prologed use, see paragraph 23). For all DSE the workstatio, as defied, is the assembly icludig the scree, keyboard, other parts of the computer ad its accessories (such as the mouse or other iput device), the desk, chair ad the immediate work eviromet. Some of these items are specifically metioed i the DSE Regulatios, but aythig else i the immediate work eviromet is also part of the workstatio. Applicatio (4) Nothig i these Regulatios shall apply to or i relatio to 1 (4) (d) (e) (f) drivers cabs or cotrol cabs for vehicles or machiery; display scree equipmet o board a meas of trasport; display scree equipmet maily iteded for public operatio; portable systems ot i prologed use; calculators, cash registers or ay equipmet havig a small data or measuremet display required for direct use of the equipmet; or widow typewriters. Guidace 1 (4) 21 Where ay of the exclusios i regulatio 1(4) apply, oe of the duties imposed by the DSE Regulatios will apply to or i coectio with the use of the equipmet that is excluded. However, the proviso at paragraph 8 applies here too. Employers should still esure that, so far as is reasoably practicable, the health ad safety of those usig the equipmet are ot put at risk. The geeral duties o employers ad others uder the HSW Act, ad other geeral health ad safety legislatio (see paragraphs 6-8), are still applicable ad particular attetio should be paid to ergoomics i this cotext. Ergoomics 7 is the sciece of makig sure that work tasks, equipmet, iformatio ad the workig eviromet are suitable for every worker, so that work ca be doe safely ad productively. Ergoomic factors relevat to DSE work are discussed further i Appedix 1. Work with display scree equipmet Page 11 of 68

12 Table 2 Decidig who is a user (or operator ) uder the DSE Regulatios. How the criteria i the guidace apply to the job examples i Table 1 Does the jobholder s DSE work ivolve: Job example Cotiuous spells of a hour or more? Daily use of DSE? Fast iformatio trasfer? High attetio ad cocetratio? High depedecy o the DSE? Little choice whether or ot to use the DSE? Special traiig or skills? Decisio Word processig Yes Yes Yes Maybe Yes Yes Yes Secretary Yes Yes Yes Maybe Maybe Maybe Yes Data iput operator Yes Yes Yes Maybe Yes Yes Yes News sub-editor Yes Yes Yes Maybe Yes Yes Yes Jouralist Yes Yes Yes Maybe Maybe Maybe Yes Telesales/ complaits/ equiries Assembly/ testig operative Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes TV editig techicia Yes Yes Yes Maybe Yes Yes Yes Defiitely users or operators CCTV cotrol room worker Yes Yes Maybe Maybe Yes Yes Maybe Air traffic cotroller Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Fiacial dealer Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Graphic desiger Yes Yes Yes Maybe Yes Yes Yes Libraria Yes Yes Yes Maybe Yes Yes Yes Scietist/ techical advisor Maybe Yes Maybe Maybe Maybe Yes No Cliet maager Maybe Yes Maybe Maybe Maybe Yes No Bakig customer support Maybe Yes Maybe Maybe Yes Yes Maybe Airlie check-i clerk Maybe Yes Maybe Maybe Yes Yes Yes Commuity care fieldworker Receptioist (first example) Maybe Maybe Maybe Maybe Maybe Maybe No Maybe Yes Maybe No Maybe Yes Yes Seior maager (first example) No Yes No Maybe Maybe Maybe No Seior maager (secod example) Receptioist (secod example) Maybe No No Maybe Maybe No No No No No No No Maybe No May be users or operators Not users or operators Yes meas this does apply o a typical workig day (ot ecessarily o all days). Maybe meas either this applies to the job o some days but ot others, or that it applies to some such jobs but ot others. I either case, there may be a eed for further thought or ivestigatio to reach a decisio. No meas this ever applies, or there are oly occasioal days i the year whe it applies. Note that Table 2 relates to the specific examples described i Table 1. Decisios o whether a job holder is a user or operator might be differet for other jobs with the same job titles. Work with display scree equipmet Page 12 of 68

13 Guidace 22 The exclusio i regulatio 1(4) is for DSE maily iteded for public operatio, such as cashpoit machies, ad microfiche readers ad computer termials i public libraries, etc. Public operatio meas operatio by ayoe who is ot a employee or a self-employed perso, hece the DSE Regulatios do ot apply to workstatios provided for school pupils or studets. (It is evertheless good practice for studets ad pupils to be traied to set up ad use DSE ad workstatios i a way that miimises the risks. Further guidace for schools/ colleges about health ad safety with iformatio ad commuicatios techology has bee produced by BECTA, see Appedix 6). The exclusio i regulatio 1(4) does ot exted to DSE available for operatio by the public but maily iteded for users or operators. 23 Regulatio 1(4)(d) excludes oly portable DSE that is ot i prologed use. So the DSE Regulatios do apply to portable DSE i prologed use which ca iclude laptop ad hadheld computers, persoal digital assistat devices ad some portable commuicatios devices - but see also paragraph 25. While there are o hard-ad-fast rules o what costitutes prologed use, portable equipmet that is habitually i use by a DSE user for a sigificat part of his or her ormal work, as explaied i paragraph 15, should be regarded as covered by the DSE Regulatios. While some of the specific miimum requiremets i the Schedule may ot be applicable to portables i prologed use, employers should still esure that such work is assessed ad measures take to cotrol risks. Appedix 3 gives further guidace o practical steps to safeguard those usig portables. 24 There is a exclusio i regulatio 1(4)(e) for cash registers. This is iteded to cover equipmet whose fuctio is to calculate/record moey trasactios at a poit of sale. It is the way the equipmet is used, rather tha its physical characteristics, that determies whether it is covered by the exemptio for cash registers. For example poit-of-sale equipmet that is used as a cash register but is also regularly used for other purposes would ot be excluded from the scope of the DSE Regulatios by regulatio 1(4)(e). Examples of such other purposes might iclude the checkig of seatig plas whe sellig ciema tickets, or the callig up ad examiatio of customer details whe processig bak accout trasactios. 25 The exclusio i regulatio 1(4)(e) for small data or measuremet display is there because such displays are usually ot itesively moitored by workers for log cotiuous spells. This exclusio covers, for example much scietific ad medical equipmet, such as cardiac moitors, oscilloscopes, ad istrumets with small displays showig a series of digits. However, with the mergig of iformatio ad commuicatio techologies, small screes are icreasigly used for a wider rage of purposes. Examples are mobile phoes ad persoal orgaisers that ca be used to compose ad edit text, view images or coect to the Iteret. Ay prologed use of such devices for work purposes will be subject to the DSE Regulatios ad the circumstaces of such cases will eed to be idividually assessed. It caot be assumed that such devices, havig much of the fuctioality of full-sized DSE, are excluded because their screes are small. However, mobile phoes that are i prologed use oly for spoke coversatio are excluded uder regulatio 1(4)(e) because their display screes are icidetal to this kid of use. 26 The exclusio i regulatio 1(4)(f) is for widow typewriters havig a small display showig o more tha a few lies of text. Applicatio of the DSE Regulatios to special groups of workers Homeworkers ad teleworkers 1 (4) 27 If a DSE user is employed to work at home, or at other locatios away from Work with display scree equipmet Page 13 of 68

14 Guidace their mai base, the DSE Regulatios apply - whether or ot the workstatio is provided i whole or i part by the employer. There is o evidece that homeworkers/teleworkers are exposed to ay major additioal or uique risks to health ad safety as a cosequece of their DSE work. Ideed, there may be potetial beefits to idividuals ad commuities, for example through provisio of work to disadvataged groups ad deprived areas, ad reduced persoal risk ad evirometal damage from commutig. 28 However, homeworkers/teleworkers may ecouter both the ormal risks associated with DSE work ad some potetially icreased risks that may arise from social isolatio, stress, lack of supervisio, lack of employer commitmet ad difficulties i udertakig risk assessmets. There are some easy steps that should be take to reduce these risks: (d) It is ot always practicable for the employer to sed someoe else to coduct a risk assessmet for homeworkers/teleworkers (particularly i the case of mobile workers). A good solutio is for the employer to trai such workersto udertake their ow risk assessmets. This ca be doe by traiig homeworkers/teleworkers to use a ergoomic checklist, like the oe i Appedix 5. Such traiig could be doe before homeworkig starts or whe the employee cocered is visitig head office, usig office DSE to work through the topics a assessmet should cover. See also item (d) below which poits out there eeds to be a clear uderstadig about who has the resposibility for dealig with ay risks foud. I the case of the homeworker or teleworker s mai workstatio, the procedure set out i paragraph 28 should be used to udertake a full risk assessmet which should be reported to the employer, for example by submittig the completed checklist. I the case of mobile teleworkers workig for very short periods i hotel rooms ad similar places, the full procedure may ot be ecessary. However, such workers should be traied to metally ru through key poits from the checklist, ad take appropriate steps to esure they are comfortable ad ca miimise the risks wherever ad wheever they carry out DSE work. I additio to traiig i risk assessmet, homeworkers/teleworkers will eed extra traiig ad iformatio about health ad safety relatig to DSE use (for example good posture, takig breaks). This is importat for all users, but is especially so for homeworkers/teleworkers, who are ot uder immediate supervisio ad are also uable to pick up good habits by watchig colleagues. Break-moitorig software (see paragraphs 65-67) may be worth cosiderig. Homeworkers/teleworkers will eed clear chais of commuicatio for reportig ad resolvig ay ergoomic defects or warig sigs of health problems. This works best if there is a supportive workplace culture so that users feel ecouraged to report back promptly about ay problems ecoutered, ad users ad maagers are motivated to fid ad implemet solutios. 29 Where homeworkers/teleworkers are usig portable DSE, refer to the guidace i Appedix 3. HSE s guidace Homeworkig 8 deals with geeral risk assessmets of the home eviromet ad the extet to which the employer is resposible for home electrical systems ad equipmet. Agecy workers 1 (4) 30 May temporary workers supplied by employmet agecies/employmet busiesses will use DSE sufficietly to become users (employees) or operators (selfemployed people) ad hece be subject to the DSE Regulatios. Work with display scree equipmet Page 14 of 68

15 Guidace 31 Where a DSE worker supplied by a agecy/employmet busiess becomes a employee of the host employer, the duties uder the DSE Regulatios will fall to the host employer. I other situatios where the worker is a employee of the agecy or is self-employed, both the agecy/employmet busiess ad the host (cliet) employer will have duties uder the DSE Regulatios. The followig list clarifies these resposibilities: Host employers should: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) assess risks to agecy workers (whether users or operators) usig their workstatios (regulatio 2); esure all workstatios i their udertakig comply with miimum requiremets (regulatio 3); esure activities are plaed so that agecy worker users ca have breaks from DSE work (regulatio 4); provide traiig to agecy worker users whe their workstatio is beig modified (regulatio 6(2)); provide iformatio to agecy workers (both users ad operators) about risks, risk assessmet ad risk reductio measures; ad additioally to users about breaks, ad traiig whe their workstatio is modified (regulatio 7). Employmet busiesses (agecies) should: (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) o request, provide eye tests (ad special corrective appliaces, if required) to agecy worker users who are their employees (regulatio 5); provide health ad safety traiig for such workers (regulatio 6(1) ad 6(1A)); provide iformatio to such workers about eye tests ad traiig (regulatio 7); check that host employers carry out their duties (as described above) to: 1 (4) coduct risk assessmets of the workstatios to be used; esure their workstatios comply with the miimum requiremets; pla for breaks or chages of activity for users; ad provide iformatio to agecy workers, as specified above. Regulatio Regulatio 2 Aalysis of workstatios to assess ad reduce risks (1) Every employer shall perform a suitable ad sufficiet aalysis of those workstatios which (regardless of who has provided them) are used for the purposes of his udertakig by users; or have bee provided by him ad are used for the purposes of his udertakig by operators, for the purpose of assessig the health ad safety risks to which those persos are exposed i cosequece of that use. (2) Ay assessmet made by a employer i pursuace of paragraph (1) shall be reviewed by him if 2 there is reaso to suspect that it is o loger valid; or there has bee a sigificat chage i the matters to which it relates; ad where as a result of ay such review chages to a assessmet are Work with display scree equipmet Page 15 of 68

16 Regulatio required, the employer cocered shall make them. (3) The employer shall reduce the risks idetified i cosequece of a assessmet to the lowest extet reasoably practicable. 2 Guidace (4) The referece i paragraph (3) to a assessmet is a referece to a assessmet made by the employer cocered i pursuace of paragraph (1) ad chaged by him where ecessary i pursuace of paragraph (2). 32 Possible health risks which have bee associated with DSE work are described i Appedix 2. This appedix also sets the risks i the cotext of the Priority Programmes to reduce musculoskeletal disorders ad stress, ad discusses the priciples of successful prevetio, treatmet ad rehabilitatio. 33 The pricipal risks relate to physical (musculoskeletal) problems, visual fatigue ad metal stress. These are ot uique to DSE work or a ievitable cosequece of it, ad ideed there is some evidece that the risk to the idividual user from typical DSE work is low if appropriate precautios are take. However, i DSE work as i other types of work, ill health ca result from poor equipmet or furiture, work orgaisatio, workig eviromet, job desig ad posture, ad from iappropriate workig methods. 34 The risk of musculoskeletal disorders i DSE work ca be icreased by the work-related factors listed above, by home or leisure activities, or by a combiatio of the two. While surveys idicate that oly a small proportio of DSE workers are likely to suffer sigificat ill health, the umber of cases is still far from egligible as DSE workers are so umerous. However, the kow health problems associated with DSE work ca be preveted i the majority of cases by good ergoomic desig of the equipmet, workplace ad job, ad by worker traiig ad cosultatio. 35 Employers will eed to assess the extet to which ay of the above risks arise for DSE workers usig their workstatios who are: users employed by them; users employed by others (for example agecy employed temps ); operators, ie self-employed cotractors who would be classified as users if they were employees (for example self-employed agecy temps, selfemployed jouralists). 36 Idividual workstatios used by ay of these people will eed to be aalysed ad risks assessed. If employers require their employees to use workstatios at home, these too will eed to be assessed (see paragraph 28). If there is doubt whether ay idividual is a user or operator, carryig out a risk assessmet may help i reachig a decisio. Suitable ad sufficiet aalysis ad risk assessmet 37 Risk assessmet should first idetify ay hazards ad the evaluate risks ad their extet. A hazard is somethig with the potetial to cause harm; risk expresses the likelihood that the harm from a particular hazard is realised. The extet of the risk takes ito accout the umber of people who might be exposed to a risk ad the cosequeces for them. Risks to health may arise from a combiatio of factors ad are particularly likely to occur whe the work, workplace ad work eviromet do ot take accout of workers eeds. Therefore, a suitable ad sufficiet aalysis should: 2 be systematic, icludig ivestigatio of o-obvious causes of problems. For Work with display scree equipmet Page 16 of 68

17 Guidace example poor posture may be a respose to scree reflectios or glare, rather tha poor furiture; be appropriate to the likely degree of risk. This will largely deped o the duratio, itesity or difficulty of the work udertake, for example the eed for prologed high cocetratio because of particular performace requiremets; be comprehesive, cosiderig both: (i) (ii) the results of aalysis of the workstatio (equipmet, furiture, software ad eviromet); ad orgaisatioal ad idividual factors, icludig thigs like workloads ad workig patters, provisio of breaks, traiig ad iformatio, ad ay special eeds of idividuals (such as people with a disability); (d) (e) icorporate iformatio provided by both employer ad worker; ad iclude a check for the presece of desirable features as well as makig sure that bad poits have bee elimiated. The form of the assessmet 38 I the simplest ad most obvious cases which ca be easily repeated ad explaied at ay time, a assessmet eed ot be recorded. This might be the case, for example if o sigificat risks are foud ad o idividual user or operator is idetified as beig especially at risk. Assessmets of short-term or temporary workstatios may also ot eed to be recorded, uless risks are sigificat. However, i most other cases assessmets eed to be recorded ad kept readily accessible to esure cotiuity ad accuracy of kowledge amog those who may eed to kow the results (for example where risk reductio measures have yet to be completed). Recorded assessmets eed ot ecessarily be a paper ad pecil record but ca be stored electroically. 39 Iformatio provided by users is a essetial part of a assessmet. The iclusio of such views is likely to result i better iformatio o existig coditios ad provide a feelig of owership over the fidigs. Employees who are actively ivolved i the risk assessmet process are also more likely to report ay problems as they arise. A useful way of obtaiig this iformatio ca be through a ergoomic checklist, which should preferably be completed by users or with their iput. A example of such a checklist is give i Appedix 5. Other approaches are also possible. For example more objective elemets of the aalysis (for example chair adjustability, keyboard characteristics, ature of work, etc) could be assessed geerically i respect of particular types of equipmet - or groups of workers performig the same tasks. Other aspects of workstatios would still eed to be assessed idividually through iformatio collected from users, but this could the be restricted to subjective factors (for example relatig to comfort, adjustability of chairs, particularly where there is hot-deskig, etc). Whatever type of checklist is used, employers should esure workers have received the ecessary traiig before beig asked to complete oe. 40 The form of the assessmet eeds to be appropriate to the ature of the tasks udertake ad the complexity of the workstatio. For may office tasks the assessmet ca be a judgemet based o resposes to the checklist. Where particular risks are apparet however, ad for complex situatios, for example where safety of others is a critical factor, a more detailed assessmet may be appropriate. This could iclude, for example a task aalysis where particular job stresses had bee idetified, recordig of posture, physical measuremet of workstatios, or quatitative surveys of lightig ad glare. 2 Work with display scree equipmet Page 17 of 68

18 Guidace Shared workstatios 41 Where oe workstatio is used by more tha oe worker, whether simultaeously or i shifts, it should be aalysed ad assessed i relatio to all those covered by the DSE Regulatios. For example if a very tall ad a very short worker are sharig a workstatio, the assessor should check the chair has a wide eough rage of adjustmet to accommodate both of them, ad that a footrest is available whe required. Who should do assessmets? 42 Assessmets ca be made by health ad safety persoel, or other i-house staff, if they have (or are traied for) the abilities required (see paragraph 43). It may be ecessary to call i outside expertise where, for example DSE or associated compoets are faulty i desig or use, where workstatio desig is complex, or where critical tasks are beig performed. Whe i-house persoel are traied to act as assessors, suitable checks should be made afterwards that assessors have uderstood the iformatio give to them ad have reached a adequate level of competece. (Oe way to do this would be for the traier to check a sample of the assessor s work.) 43 Those resposible for the assessmet should be familiar with the mai requiremets of the DSE Regulatios ad should have the ability to: (d) (e) idetify hazards (icludig less obvious oes) ad assess risks from the workstatio ad the kid of DSE work beig doe; for example by completig a checklist or reviewig oe completed by the worker; draw upo additioal sources of iformatio o risk as appropriate; draw valid ad reliable coclusios from assessmets ad idetify steps to reduce risks; make a clear record of the assessmet ad commuicate the fidigs to those who eed to take appropriate actio, ad to the worker cocered; recogise their ow limitatios as to assessmet so that further expertise ca be called o if ecessary. 44 The iclusio of the views of idividual users about their workstatios is a essetial part of the assessmet (as oted i paragraph 39). Employees safety represetatives should also be ecouraged to play a full part i the assessmet process. I particular they should be ecouraged to report ay problems i DSE work that come to their attetio. Review of assessmet 45 The assessmet or relevat parts of it should be reviewed i the light of chages to the DSE worker populatio, or chages i idividual capability, or where there has bee some sigificat chage to the workstatio such as: 2 (d) (e) (f) (g) a major chage to software used; a major chage to ay of the equipmet (scree, keyboard, iput devices, etc); a major chage i workstatio furiture; a substatial icrease i the amout of time required to be spet usig DSE; a substatial chage i other task requiremets (for example greater speed or accuracy); if the workstatio is relocated (eve if all equipmet ad furiture stays the same); if major features of the work eviromet, such as the lightig, are sigificatly modified. Work with display scree equipmet Page 18 of 68

19 Guidace 46 Reassessmets should be doe i the same way as the origial assessmet, cosultig workers ad safety represetatives, ad should be doe as soo as reasoably practicable after the eed for oe is idetified. 47 Ecouragig users to report ay ill health that may be due to their DSE work is a useful check that risk assessmet ad reductio measures are workig properly. Reports of ill health may idicate that reassessmet is required. Idividuals vary i their willigess to report ill health ad it is importat for employers to explai the beefits of early reportig of ay symptoms. The eed to report ad the orgaisatioal arragemets for makig a report should be covered i traiig. Reducig risks 48 The assessmet will highlight ay particular areas which may give reaso for cocer, ad these will require further evaluatio ad corrective actio as appropriate. Risks idetified i the assessmet must be remedied as quickly as possible. For typical applicatios of DSE, such as computers i offices, remedial actio is ofte straightforward, for example: Postural problems may be overcome by simple adjustmets to the workstatio such as repositioig equipmet or adjustig the chair. Postural problems ca also idicate a eed to reiforce the user s traiig (for example o correct had positio, posture, how to adjust equipmet). New equipmet such as a footrest or documet holder may be required i some cases. Visual problems may also be tackled by straightforward meas such as repositioig the scree or usig blids to avoid glare, placig the scree at a more comfortable viewig distace from the user, or by esurig the scree is kept clea. I some cases, ew equipmet such as widow blids or more appropriate lightig may be eeded (see also guidace o regulatio 5, o eyes ad eyesight). Fatigue ad stress may be alleviated by correctig obvious defects i the workstatio as idicated i items ad above, ad esurig the software is appropriate to the task. I additio, as i other kids of work, good desig of the task will be importat. Wherever possible, the task should provide users with a degree of persoal cotrol over the pace ad ature of their tasks (see guidace o regulatio 4). Proper provisio must be made for traiig ad iformatio, ot oly o health ad safety risks but also o the use of software. Further advice o software is give i paragraphs of Appedix It is importat to take a systematic approach to risk reductio ad recogise the limitatios of the basic assessmet. Observed problems may reflect the iteractio of several factors or may have causes that are ot obvious. For example backache may tur out to have bee caused by the worker sittig i a abormal positio i order to miimise the effects of reflectios o the scree. If the factors uderlyig a problem appear to be complex, or if simple remedial measures do ot have the desired effect, it will geerally be ecessary to obtai expert advice o corrective actio. Sources of iformatio ad advice 2 50 The referece sectio at the back of the book cotais a list of relevat HSE guidace documets, for example o lightig ad seatig, ad other publicatios. Further advice o health problems that may be coected with display scree work may be available from i-house safety or occupatioal health departmets where applicable or, if ecessary, from the Employmet Medical Advisory Service (see Appedix 6). Expert advice may be obtaied from idepedet specialists Work with display scree equipmet Page 19 of 68

20 Guidace i relevat professioal disciplies such as ergoomics or lightig desig. The referece sectio icludes some useful publicatios from relevat professioal bodies. Stadards 2 51 Ergoomic specificatios for use of DSE are cotaied i various iteratioal, Europea ad British stadards. Further iformatio is give i Appedix 1. Compliace with relevat parts of these stadards is ot a legal requiremet. Such compliace will geerally ot oly satisfy but also go beyod the requiremets of the DSE Regulatios, because the stadards aim to ehace performace as well as health ad safety. Regulatio 3 Regulatio 3 Requiremets for workstatios Every employer shall esure that ay workstatio which may be used for the purposes of his udertakig meets the requiremets laid dow i the Schedule to these Regulatios, to the extet specified i paragraph 1 thereof. Schedule Schedule Extet to which employers must esure that workstatios meet the requiremets laid dow i this Schedule 1 A employer shall esure that a workstatio meets the requiremets laid dow i this Schedule to the extet that those requiremets relate to a compoet which is preset i the workstatio cocered; those requiremets have effect with a view to securig the health, safety ad welfare of persos at work; ad the iheret characteristics of a give task make compliace with those requiremets appropriate as respects the workstatio cocered. Guidace 52 Regulatio 3 refers to the Schedule to the DSE Regulatios which sets out miimum requiremets for display scree workstatios, coverig the equipmet, the workig eviromet, ad the iterface (for example software) betwee the computer ad the user or operator. Figure 1 summarises the mai requiremets. Appedix 1 cotais more iformatio o those parts of the Schedule which may eed iterpretatio. 53 Regulatio 3 was ameded i 2002 to take accout of a judgmet i the Europea Court of Justice (joied cases C-74 ad 129/95); the ameded regulatio is show above. The judgmet ruled that articles 4 ad 5 of the Display Scree Equipmet Directive (90/270/EEC) impose obligatios i respect of all DSE workstatios, ot just those used by workers as defied i the Directive. Regulatio 3 has therefore bee altered to remove refereces to use by users or operators (which are the defied terms i the DSE Regulatios equivalet to workers i the Directive). I amedig regulatio 3, the opportuity has also bee take to simplify it by removig obsolete refereces to a trasitioal period for modificatio of older equipmet (see paragraph 58). 3 ad Schedule 54 Employers should therefore modify all DSE workstatios they possess that do ot already comply. However, modificatio is oly required to the extet described by paragraph 1 of the Schedule, as explaied i paragraph 55. Work with display scree equipmet Page 20 of 68