DISPLAY SCREEN EQUIPMENT POLICY

DISPLAY SCREEN EQUIPMENT POLICY Policy Number: HR12 Version: 1.0 Ratified By: Date Ratified: Name of Sponsor: Name of Originator/Author: Date Issued: May 2014 Target Audience: NHS Southend CCG Governing Body Melanie Craig, Chief Operating Officer Angela Paradise, Head of Corporate Services CCG Staff and Members Display Screen Equipment Policy 1 Policy Date: May 2014

Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION... 3 2.0 PURPOSE... 3 3.0 DEFINITIONS... 3 3.1 The CCG... 3 3.2 Display Screen Equipment (DSE)... 3 3.3 DSE User... 3 3.4 Workstation... 3 4.0 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES... 3 4.1 NHS Southend CCG Governing Body... 4 4.2 Clinical Chief Officer... 4 4.3 Chief Finance Officer... 4 4.4 Chief Operating Officer... 4 4.5 Head of Corporate Services... 4 4.6 Competent Person... 4 4.7 Occupational Health Services... 4 4.8 Executive Leads and Managers... 4 5.0 POLICY PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS... 4 5.1 DSE Risk Assessments... 4 5.2 Activity Rest Breaks... 5 5.3 Pre-employment Screening and Occupational Health Referrals... 6 5.4. CCG funding for eyesight tests and corrective appliances for DSE users... 6 6.0 MONITORING COMPLIANCE... 6 7.0 ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION... 7 8.0 LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS CONSULTED... 7 9.0 EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT... 7 10.0 VERSION CONTROL... 8 APPENDIX 1 DISPLAY SCREEN EQUIPMENT WORKSTATION ASSESSMENT... 9 APPENDIX 2 REIMBURSEMENT CLAIM FORM... 13 APPENDIX 3 APPLICATION FOR REIMBURSEMENT... 15 Display Screen Equipment Policy 2 Policy Date: May 2014

1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 This is the policy of NHS South East Essex and NHS South West Essex (hereafter referred to as NHS South Essex ) for ensuring that the CCG meets its statutory obligations relating to Display Screen Equipment (DSE). 1.2 This policy will ensure compliance with the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 (as amended in 2002). Other relevant legislation includes the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Equality Act 2010. 2.0 PURPOSE 2.1 The purpose of this policy is to ensure that NHS South Essex meets its obligations towards its employees with regard to the risks associated with DSE by properly assessing and reducing them as far as reasonably practicable. 2.2 The policy applies to all employees of NHS South Essex, including those employees who are working in locations which are not directly owned or managed by the CCG, such as local authority offices. The policy also applies to employees when they are working from home and use DSE for a significant part of their normal work. 2.3 This policy does not apply to the following : DSE systems intended mainly for public use; Portable DSE systems not in prolonged use; Small data display panels on calculators, medical and scientific equipment. 3.0 DEFINITIONS 3.1 The CCG The CCG is defined as NHS Southend Clinical Commissioning Group. 3.2 Display Screen Equipment (DSE) DSE is defined by the Health & Safety Executive as a device or equipment that has an alphanumeric or graphic display screen, regardless of the display process involved; it includes both conventional display screens and those used in emerging technologies such as laptops, touch-screens and other similar devices. 3.3 DSE User This is defined as an employee who normally uses DSE for continuous or near continuous spells or an hour or more at a time on most working days. 3.4 Workstation This is defined as an assembly of display screen equipment, data input devices (e.g., keyboard, telephone, mouse, and laptop) and / or any other item peripheral to the DSE, as well as the immediate work environment. 4.0 ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Display Screen Equipment Policy 3 Policy Date: May 2014

4.1 NHS Southend CCG Governing Body The Governing Body is responsible for receiving assurance that the CCG has in place a robust system for meeting its statutory obligations around DSE. 4.2 Clinical Chief Officer The Clinical Chief Officer is accountable for ensuring that the CCG complies with its statutory obligations with regard to DSE. 4.3 Chief Finance Officer This postholder is the Executive Lead with Governing Body level responsibility for DSE. He or she is responsible for providing assurance to the Governing Body that the systems and processes in place meet the organisation s statutory obligations around DSE. 4.4 Chief Operating Officer This post holder will be responsible for ensuring that the CCG implements this policy. 4.5 Head of Corporate Services This postholder is responsible for reviewing and co-ordinating the implementation of this policy, co-ordinating DSE risk assessments and keeping a corporate database of risk assessments completed. 4.6 Competent Person This individual is responsible for providing qualified advice and support to the Head of Corporate Services with regard to DSE risk assessment. 4.7 Occupational Health Services The CCG holds a contract with an occupational health service. This is provided by Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (SUHFT) for NHS Southend CCG staff and Governing Body Members. 4.8 Executive Leads and Managers All Executive Leads and managers are responsible for : Ensuring that the DSE Policy is effectively implemented in all areas within their control; Conducting DSE risk assessments as applicable to their areas of responsibility and ensuring that specialist ergonomic assessments are conducted where required. 5.0 POLICY PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS 5.1 DSE Risk Assessments Display Screen Equipment Policy 4 Policy Date: May 2014

5.1.1 A robust system of DSE assessment is the cornerstone of the CCG s system for managing this area of health and safety. All line managers are responsible for ensuring that all DSE users under their direction have received a DSE assessment and that actions arising from those assessments have been carried out. 5.1.2 Assessments of risk to health and safety are an integral part of the CCG s systems of risk management and internal control and as such are the responsibility of all Executive Leads and CCG managers. The role of the Competent Person and the Corporate Governance Team is to assist and guide managers in conducting risk assessments as needed, but ownership and responsibility for carrying out assessments and ensuring that remedial actions arising from them are completed lies with departmental and line managers. 5.1.3 Each DSE assessment should be reviewed at least annually to ensure it remains valid or more frequently if changing circumstances make this appropriate. The following occurrences should result in a DSE risk assessment being reviewed : New member of staff joining the CCG; Member of staff changing location or base; tification of a staff member becoming pregnant; Any change in workstation, e.g., change of seat, lighting, or desk configuration; Following the investigation of an adverse incident; At the request of any staff member. Following staff injury or illness (whether this is a work-related occurrence or not) that may compromise their ability to work in their usual environment. 5.1.4 During the assessment process, the line manager should raise the individual s awareness of the policy around NHS funded eye tests for DSE users (see section 5.4). 5.1.5 Where the line manager is aware that the individual to be assessed has a preexisting medical condition or disability (e.g., repetitive strain injury RSI), advice from the relevant Occupational Health Service will be sought. The Corporate Services Team can arrange for an ergonomics specialist to carry out an expert assessment where required. 5.1.6 In line with the CCG s overarching risk assessment policy, DSE assessments will be carried out by the manager with full input and in partnership with the individual. Advice and support will be provided upon request by the Head of Corporate Services and the Competent Person. 5.1.7 The CCG s DSE assessment form can be found at Appendix One. 5.2 Activity Rest Breaks 5.2.1 The Regulations do not prescribe the frequency or duration of breaks from DSE work. The purpose of a break from DSE work is to prevent the onset of fatigue. Line managers are responsible for discussing and agreeing with staff how their workload might best be managed to reduce the risks associated with extended periods of DSE work. 5.2.2 Most jobs provide opportunities to take a natural break from DSE work, such as filing, photocopying or meetings, but if there are no such natural breaks in an individual s daily routine, the line manager is responsible for planning for the individual to have Display Screen Equipment Policy 5 Policy Date: May 2014

rest breaks. These rest breaks are not intended as tea or meal breaks; rather they are a change in working pattern away from the screen. 5.2.3 Wherever possible, the employee should be given maximum discretion to organize his or her breaks in a way that meets their own needs and those of the organization. The Health & Safety Executive advise that frequent short breaks are better than few long ones. 5.3 Pre-employment Screening and Occupational Health Referrals 5.3.1 As part of the recruitment process for staff joining the organisation, the occupational health services will carry out pre-employment screening which is intended to identify whether individuals may require reasonable adjustments to be made to enable them to use DSE equipment arising from a pre-existing medical condition or disability (for example, dyslexia or being partially sighted). 5.3.2 The DSE assessment process may identify instances where an individual would benefit from a referral to the relevant occupational health service by their line manager. The occupational health clinicians will make recommendations to the line manager as to the reasonable adjustments that should be made, for example, provision of specialist equipment or variations to patterns of rest breaks. 5.4. CCG funding for eyesight tests and corrective appliances for DSE users 5.4.1 Extensive research has found no evidence that DSE can cause disease or permanent damage to the eyes. However long spells of DSE work can lead to tired eyes and discomfort. Also undertaking DSE work can make an individual aware of an eyesight problem that he or she may not have noticed before. 5.4.2 As part of its mechanisms for ensuring that DSE users minimize the risk of health problems associated with DSE work, the CCG will reimburse up to 20.70 for a sight test if the individual is not automatically entitled to free NHS sight tests. This figure was equivalent to the NHS sight test fee payable to optometrists from 1 st April 2012. The maximum reimbursement will be revised annually in line with national amendments to this fee. 5.4.3 Where a sight test identifies that the DSE user has a middle vision defect, the CCG will contribute towards the cost of any corrective appliance where it is specifically required for DSE work. The CCG will reimburse costs up to a maximum of 30 for frames and up to 36.00 for lenses. 5.4.4 Reimbursement will be organised by the line manager on production of an invoice, receipt or prescription. Payments will be made no more frequently than every two years. Where glasses are lost or damaged in the interim period, the individual will be responsible for the full cost of replacing them. 5.4.5 Claim forms can be found at Appendices 2 and 3 both will be needed, together with receipts, before reimbursement can be made. 6.0 MONITORING COMPLIANCE 6.1 This Policy will be monitored by the Quality Finance and Performance Committee, taking into consideration expert health & safety advice where necessary. The Display Screen Equipment Policy 6 Policy Date: May 2014

Executive Lead who has overall responsibility for monitoring the policy is the Chief Finance Officer. 6.2 This Policy will be reviewed on a two yearly basis by the Corporate Services Team. 6.3 If only minor revisions are made then the policy can be approved by the Quality Finance and Performance Committee and the version number for the policy will be updated e.g. from version 1.0 to 1.1 7.0 ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION NHS Southend CCG Health and Safety Policy NHS Southend CCG Health and Safety Risk Assessment Policy All NHS Southend CCG Health and Safety Policies and Procedures NHS Southend CCG Sickness Absence Policy NHS Southend CCG Equality & Diversity Policy NHS Southend CCG Risk Management Strategy Health and Safety Executive Working with VDUs (July 2011) 8.0 LIST OF STAKEHOLDERS CONSULTED Name Title Comments received Y/N Policy Assurance Group Comments incorporated Y/N 9.0 EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT 9.1 NHS Southend CCG is committed to carrying out a systematic review of all its existing and proposed policies to determine whether there are any equality implications. 9.2 This policy has been assessed using NHS Southend CCG s Equality Impact Assessment and identified as having the following impact upon equality and diversity issues. Age Disability Gender Race Sexuality Religion Human Total Impact Rights Points 0 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 Medium Rationale 9.3 Whilst there is no evidence that DSE work can harm an individual s health or exacerbate a disability, proper implementation of this policy will have a positive impact on people with disabilities and pregnant women as it will ensure that their particular needs are assessed and reasonable adjustments put in place to enable them to perform DSE work safely and in comfort. Display Screen Equipment Policy 7 Policy Date: May 2014

Points 3 This area has a high relevance to equalities 2 This area has a medium relevance to equalities 1 This area has a low relevance to equalities 0 This area has no relevance to equalities Scoring 13-18 points high impact 7-12 points medium impact 0-6 points low or no impact 10.0 VERSION CONTROL Version Date Issued Date of next review Author Name and Title 001 v 2012 April 2013 Andrew Stride, Head of Governance, Risk & Customer Services Comment Display Screen Equipment Policy 8 Policy Date: May 2014

APPENDIX 1 DISPLAY SCREEN EQUIPMENT WORKSTATION ASSESSMENT Name of Operator:.... Department:..... Job Title:.... Location:..... Assessment Completed by:... Date: Number of Daily Hours:.. Number of Days Per Week:. Number of Hours on DSE: Name of Manager: ENVIRONMENT 1. Lighting Describe the lighting at your usual workstation. Is it: About Right Too Bright Too Dark Do you get distracting reflections on your screen: Never Sometimes Constantly What control do you have over local lighting: Full Control Some Control Control 2. Temperature and Humidity At your workstation, is it usually: Comfortable Too Warm Too Cold Is the air around your workstation: Comfortable Too Dry 3. ise 4. Space Are you distracted by noise from work equipment: Never Occasionally Constantly Describe the amount of space around your workstation: Adequate Inadequate Display Screen Equipment Policy 9 Policy Date: May 2014

FURNITURE 5. Chair Can you adjust the height of the seat: Can you adjust the height and angle of the backrest: Is the chair stable: Does it allow movement: 6. Desk Is the chair in a good state of repair: If your chair has arms, do they get in the way: Is the desk surface large enough to allow you to place all your equipment where you want it: Is the height of the desk suitable: Too High Too Low Does the desk have a matt surface (non-reflectant): 7. Footrest If you cannot place your feet flat on the floor whilst keying, has a footrest been supplied: 8. Document Holder If it would be of benefit to use a document holder, has one been supplied: N/A If you have a document holder, is it adjustable to suit your needs: Display Screen Equipment Policy 10 Policy Date: May 2014

DISPLAY SCREEN EQUIPMENT 9. Display Screen Can you easily adjust the brightness and the contrast between the characters on screen and the background: Does the screen tilt and swivel freely: Is the screen image stable and free from flicker: Is the screen at a height which is comfortable for you: yes 10. Keyboard Is the keyboard separate from the screen: Can you raise and lower the keyboard height: Can you easily see the symbols on the keys: Is there enough space to rest your hands in front of the keyboard: 11. Software Do you understand how to use the software: 12. Eyesight Do you wear glasses/contact lenses: Do you wear them all the time: Do you wear glasses/contact lenses for (please tick all that apply) Reading Only when working on DSE Distance Vision Do you wear bi-focals Display Screen Equipment Policy 11 Policy Date: May 2014

13. Health Effects When using the DSE do you get aches, pains or sensory loss in the following areas: The Neck Back Shoulder Upper Limbs Do the symptoms ever persist after you have finished DSE work? Assessor s Comments: Signature:.. Please pass assessment to line manager Date:.. Manager s Comments: Signature:.. Date:.. Please send assessment to Corporate Services Team at Suffolk House Actions to be taken: Lead Person:. 1. Date Completed: 2. Date Completed:.. 3. Date Completed:. Display Screen Equipment Policy 12 Policy Date: May 2014

APPENDIX 2 REIMBURSEMENT CLAIM FORM REIMBURSEMENT CLAIM FORM FOR PRESENTATION TO OPTICIAN NAME OF EMPLOYEE:... The above employee of NHS Southend CCG is eligible for payment towards his/her eye sight test and glasses which are specifically required for Display Screen Equipment work. It would, therefore, be appreciated if you could complete the following form: The above person has been given an eyesight test at a cost of... on Date:. The above person has been prescribed glasses specifically for use with Display Screen Equipment (ie: for middle vision). Cost (frames)... Cost (Lenses).. Please sign and stamp below Signature... Date Name & Address Optometrist / Optician or Official Stamp To the employee: Please return this form to your manager with the appropriate receipts/prescriptions attached. Display Screen Equipment Policy 13 Policy Date: Review Date:

Display Screen Equipment Policy 14 Policy Date: Review Date:

APPENDIX 3 APPLICATION FOR REIMBURSEMENT NHS SOUTHEND CCG APPLICATION FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF COSTS FOR a) EYE SIGHT TEST b) BASIC SPECTACLES To be completed by employee Name: - Address:- Department:- Signed:- Date: - To be completed by Line Manager Authorised for eye test:- Date:- Name of Manager Authorised for payment: Date:- Name of Manager Eye Test (max 20.70) Basic Specs Allowance (max 30 for frames and 36 for lenses) Grand Total amount to be reimbursed: (Max. 86.70) Budget Code: Signature: Budget holder Please keep copy for records, send copy to HR and Finance. Display Screen Equipment Policy 15 Policy Date: Review Date: