Introduction

 

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 set out the requirements of an employer to ensure Display Screen Equipment Users are protected from any risks associated with using Display Screen Equipment (DSE), that is computers and laptops. The aim of the regulations is to prevent health problems by encouraging good ergonomic design of equipment, furniture, the working environment and the job.

BrisDoc is committed to providing a working environment that promotes the health, safety and welfare of patients, co-owner and the general public. This policy forms part of BrisDoc’s Health and Safety Manual.

BrisDoc will implement in full all its duties and obligations under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 and any other relevant legislation, by safe and proper means to ensure the health and safety on BrisDoc premises of all co-owner, patients, relatives, visitors and others undertaking duties on behalf of BrisDoc.

 

Risk Assessment Form – Download

Definitions

Display Screen Equipment

DSE are devices or equipment that have an alphanumeric or graphic display screen and include:

• display screens
• laptops
• touch screens, and
• other similar devices.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics is a science concerned with the “fit” between people and their work. It puts people first, taking account if their capabilities and limitations. Ergonomics aims to make sure that tasks, equipment, information and the environment fit each worker. When assessing the fit between a person and their work a range of factors can be considered including:

• job/task being done
• individual’s physical and psychological characteristics, and
• the organisation and social environment.

 

In the context of workstation layout, it considers:

• items that are used frequently are out of convenient reach,
• inadequate space under the work surface for legs,
• work surface height inappropriate for the tasks causing awkward and uncomfortable postures,
• lighting inadequate causing eye strain when inspecting detail on work items, and
• chair not properly adjusted to for the person and workstation.

DSE User

A DSE User is someone who regularly uses DSE as a significant part of their normal work, that is daily, for continuous periods of an hour or more. These regulations do not apply to co-owners who use DSE infrequently or for short periods of time. However, the controls for risks associated with DSE use may be useful for everyone. This definition means that it is unlikely co-owners employed on BrisDoc’s bank will be DSE Users and eligible for DSE eye tests and vouchers, however, this will be managed on a case-by-case basis.

Responsibilities

Executive Directors

Executive Directors are responsible for:

• making the provision of resources that secure organisational compliance with the DSE regulations and reduce the risk associated with using DSE,
• facilitating managers in the setting up a safe system of work,
• ensuring appropriate training is available for DSE assessors and users,
• ensuring DSE eye tests are available to co-owners free of charge and the appropriate voucher is made available to them for the cost of spectacles required for DSE use only.

Heads of Service and Practice Managers

Managers are responsible for:

• ensuring this policy is implemented in their service,
• ensure that a DSE link person is established within the team to develop enhanced knowledge and skills with respect to DSE,
• undertaking risk assessments for new employees and as a member of co-owner’s circumstances change,
• identifying DSE users,
• ensuring DSE risk assessments are undertaken for their co-owners,
• ensuring all co-owners have access to appropriate training,
• implementing control measures that remove or reduce the risk to health of DSE use including redesigning jobs or activities and ensuring appropriate breaks are taken,
• reviewing risks at their service level Quality Review meetings and reporting on risk assessments to their Health Safety and Assurance Safety Steering Group,
• providing appropriate ergonomic equipment to co-owners,
• ensuring co-owners attend eye tests when required and receive the appropriate Specsavers’s voucher towards spectacles.

Health and Safety Leads

Service Health and Safety Leads are responsible for:

• Ensuring Co-Owners are undertaking DSE risk assessments,
• Sharing the completed risk assessments with the people team,
• providing co-owners with information about health and safety aspects of DSE work including their rights to eye and eyesight tests and breaks away from the screen,
• sharing any learning with the Service and across BrisDoc.

Programme and Service Director

The Programme and Service Director (supported by the Facilities Manager) is responsible for:

• the purchase of ergonomic display screen equipment and accessories (i.e. keyboards, mice) that remove or minimise the risks to health of DSE.

People Team

The People Team is responsible for:

• identifying and sourcing appropriate training for DSE assessors and users that ensures they are able to comply with this policy,
• supporting Line Managers with referrals of individuals complaining of ill health that can reasonably be attributed to the use of display screen equipment to the Occupational Health department for assessment,
• maintaining records in Personnel files of eye test outcomes and recommendations from Opticians,
• leading or supporting any disciplinary processes that might arise due to non-adherence to this policy.

Governance Manager

The Head of Governance is responsible for:

• establishing monitoring arrangements to deal with any changes to equipment, workstations and jobs,
• ensuring audit of compliance is undertaken annually,
• ensuring the Health and Safety Steering Groups receive reports on DSE assessments and issues, and that the relevant urgent care or practice services governance Board receives regular feedback,
• including DSE performance in the annual Health and Safety Report,
• reviewing and monitoring the effectiveness of this policy,
• advising and assisting Managers in meeting their responsibilities to carry out risk assessments and implementing control measures, as necessary.

Co-Owners

Co-Owners are responsible for:

• attending relevant training sessions or undertake relevant training such as e-learning aimed at increasing their awareness of the Health and Safety related issues of working with DSE,
• undertaking self-assessments of their use of their workstation regularly to ensure they are compliant with the controls to minimise or remove any risks to their health,
• using any ergonomic equipment provided for work purposes appropriately,
• taking breaks or changing their activities so as to reduce the risks to heath of DSE work,
• where required ensure they attend an Optician for a DSE eye test and if required, wear corrective spectacles to protect their eyes and sight from strain,
• being responsible for being aware of and understanding the contents of this policy.

Risk Assessment

 

Poor workstation design, poor work environments or failure by the co-owner to apply good ergonomics when at a workstation may generate health risks including for example: fatigue, eye strain, upper limb problems and backache. For this reason, each workstation and its user will undergo risk assessment using the DSE risk assessment form (appendix 1) annually and when a new workstation is set up. An Induction Risk Assessment will determine if a new employee is a DSE User requiring a DSE risk assessment. An incident risk assessment may also identify a need for a DSE risk assessment to be undertaken.

DSE risk assessments undertaken will be recorded in personal files by the people team.  Reporting on risk assessments, DSE incidents and issues will be in accordance with BrisDoc’s health and safety governance structure.

 

Risk Controls

 

There is a range of controls that mitigate the risk to health of regular DSE use. Principally they relate to good workstation design by the employer, and compliant, good practice in using the appropriately designed workstation by the employee. These include:

Getting Comfortable

• Forearms should be approximately horizontal and the user’s eyes should be the same height as the top of the screen.
• Make sure there is enough work space to accommodate all documents or other equipment. A document holder may help avoid awkward neck and eye movements.
• Arrange the desk and screen to avoid glare, or bright reflections. This is often easiest if the screen is not directly facing windows or bright lights.
• Adjust curtains or blinds to prevent intrusive light.
• Make sure there is space under the desk to move legs.
• Avoid excess pressure from the edge of seats on the backs of legs and knees. A footrest may be helpful, particularly for smaller users.

Well-designed workstations

Keyboards and keying in (typing)

• A space in front of the keyboard can help a user rest their hands and wrists when not keying.
• Try to keep wrists straight when keying.
• Good keyboard technique is important – this may be done by keeping a soft touch on the keys and not overstretching the fingers.

Using a mouse

• Position the mouse within easy reach, so it can be used with a straight wrist.
• Sit upright and close to the desk to reduce working with the mouse arm stretched.
• Move the keyboard out of the way if it is not being used.
• Support the forearm on the desk, and don’t grip the mouse too tightly.
• Rest fingers lightly on the buttons and do not press them hard.

Reading the screen

• Make sure individual characters on the screen are sharp, in focus and don’t flicker or move. If they do, the DSE may need servicing or adjustment.
• Adjust the brightness and contrast controls on the screen to suit lighting conditions in the room.
• Make sure the screen surface is clean.
• When setting up software, choose text that is large enough to read easily on screen when sitting in a normal comfortable working position.
• Select colours that are easy on the eye (avoid red text on a blue background, or vice versa).

Changes in activity

Breaking up long spells of DSE work helps prevent fatigue, eye strain, upper limb problems and backache. Tasks will be planned so users can interrupt prolonged use of DSE with changes of activity. Organised or scheduled rest breaks will be taken.

The following may help users:

• Stretch and change position.
• Look into the distance from time to time, and blink often.
• Change activity before users get tired, rather than to recover.
• Short, frequent breaks are better than longer, infrequent ones.

Timing and length of changes in activity or breaks for DSE use is not set down in law and arrangements will vary depending on a particular situation. Employers are not responsible for providing breaks for the self-employed.

Portable computers

These same controls will also reduce the DSE risks associated with portable computers. However, the following may also help reduce manual handling, fatigue and postural problems:

• Consider potential risks from manual handling if users have to carry heavy equipment and papers.
• Whenever possible, users should be encouraged to use a docking station or firm surface and a full-sized keyboard and mouse.
• The height and position of the portable’s screen should be angled so that the user is sitting comfortably and reflection is minimised (raiser blocks are commonly used to help with screen height).
• More changes in activity may be needed if the user cannot minimise the risks of prolonged use and awkward postures to suitable levels.
• While portable systems not in prolonged use are excluded from the regulations some jobs will use such devices intermittently and to support the main tasks. The degree and intensity of use may vary. Any employer who provides such equipment still has to risk assess and take steps to reduce residual risks.

DSE Training

Information, instruction and health and safety training will be provided to DSE users to help them identify risks and safe work practices. Training will include for example:

• the risks from DSE work and the controls BrisDoc has put in place;
• how to adjust furniture;
• how to organise the workplace to avoid awkward or frequently repeated stretching movements;
• how to clean the screen and mouse;
• who to contact for help and to report problems or symptoms;

DSE users will also be how to self-assess their workstation and their use of it being guided by the HSE Display screen equipment (DSE) workstation checklist available on RADAR

 

DSE Eye Tests

 

There is no evidence to suggest that DSE work will cause permanent damage to eyes or eyesight. Eye tests are provided to ensure users can comfortably see the screen and work effectively without visual fatigue.

All BrisDoc co-owners (bank staff will be assessed on a case-by-case basis) are entitled to request a Specsavers’s eye care voucher, the voucher covers the cost of a sight test and provision of basic DSE glasses, if a co-owner requires glasses other/for additional sight correction the voucher can be used in part payment for these.

Eye tests are not an entitlement for the self-employed.

Users are entitled to further tests if DSE work is considered to cause them visual fatigue and at regular intervals after the first test.

Related Policies and Procedures

 

• Health and Safety Policy and Manual
• Risk Management Policy
• Induction Policy

References

 

HSE: Working with display screen equipment (DSE)

HSE: Ergonomics and human factors at work

Display screen equipment (DSE) workstation checklist Leaflet CK1 HSE Books 2013 www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck1.htm

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 L26 (Second edition) HSE Books 2003 ISBN 978 0 7176 2582 6 www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l26.htm

 

 

 

DSE Risk Assessment Form

NAME		WORK STATION LOCATION
SERVICE		DATE OF ASSESSMENT

 

Under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, the Company is required to perform a suitable and sufficient assessment of all workstations used by regular computer users.

Please read each question fully and answer by ticking either the “Yes” or “No” box. These assessments are retained and could form part of an evidence file used in support of any action taken in the future with regard to your health and safety (H&S).

	YES	NO
A. Training and information
Have you been trained in the safe use and set-up of your workstation?
Have you received adequate training in how to use the software?
Do you understand the need to take regular breaks from the activity?
Have you received adequate information on H&S relating to your workstation?
Comments:
B. Posture and chair – See picture B
Are forearms horizontal and eyes at roughly the same height as the top of the screen?
Can you place your feet firmly on the floor without too much pressure from the seat on the back of the legs?
Can you easily adjust the height and backrest of your chair? Is the chair adjusted correctly?
Does your chair have a stable base with swivel to stop you twisting whilst working?
If your chair has arms do they get in the way?
Comments:
C. Workstation / work surface
Is your workstation correctly set up, taking your needs into account?
Do you have sufficient legroom?
Is your workstation and surrounding area free from obstructions and hazards?
Is the height of your desk suitable?
Does most of your work require reading from hard-copy documents?
If so, do you require a document holder?
Comments:
D. Display screen  – see picture D
Is the information displayed on your screen clear and easy to read?
Can the brightness and contrast be adjusted easily?
Is the image on the screen stable and free from flicker?
Is your workstation free from reflected glare?
Is the screen at a height which is suitable for you?
Does the monitor tilt and swivel adequately in each direction?
Comments:
E. Keyboard
Is the keyboard separate from the screen?
Can the tilt of the keyboard be altered/adjusted?
Is the keyboard in a comfortable keying position?
Does the User have a good keyboard technique?
Are the key symbols easy to read?
Does the keyboard have a matt surface to avoid reflected glare?
Comments:
F. Mouse
Is the device suitable for the tasks it is used for?
Is the device positioned close to the User?
Is there support for the device user’s wrist and forearm?
Does the device work smoothly at a speed that suits the User?
Comments:
G. Lighting
Has your equipment been situated to avoid direct glare?
Does the lighting allow you to work comfortably?
Comments:
H. Other Requirements
Do you know who to contact if you experience problems with your workstation?
Are there any other issues you wish to raise about your workstation? If “yes”, please give further details below:
I. Eyesight
Do you require an eyesight test?
When was the last eyesight test carried out?
J. Equipment
Please detail which equipment you currently use within your role:

 

Co-owner Name		Signature		Date
Manager’s Name		Signature		Date

 

ACTION PLAN
To be completed by Manager	By Whom	By When (Date)
Remedial action required:   1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

 

 

B. Posture and Chair     C. Workstation Surface

D. Display Screen

 

 

 

E. Keyboard

F. Mouse

 

 

 

Change Register

 

Date	Version	Author	Change Details
16.9.16		CL Nicholls	Update BrisDoc values slide and H&S structure.
Aug 19	1.2	CL Nicholls	Updated in relation to new governance framework and titles.
Feb 2023	1.3	Traci Clutterbuck	Update BrisDoc values slide and H&S structure. Change from co-owner to co-owners. Remove Head of Governance and replace with Governance Manager.  References to the Workforce team have been changed to People Team.  Policy updated to show that all co-owners are able to apply for an DSE sight test voucher, with the exception of a bank staff member where vouchers will be issued on a case-by-case basis