DISPLAY SCREEN EQUIPMENT
POLICY
Full name of policy: / Display Screen Equipment PolicyRequirement for policy: / To comply with statutory requirement
Name and post of person responsible: / Amanda Livingstone, Health and Safety Manager
Highest College body approving the policy: / CLT
Date of approval: / July 2014
Frequency of review: / 3 Yearly
Dates of previous reviews: / October 2011
Date of next formal review: / July 2017
Equality Impact Screening: / July 2014, Amanda Livingstone
Equality Impact Assessment:
(If required) / Not required
Policy Reference: / All policies can be located on the U drive/Policies folder
Total number of pages:
(Including appendices and front sheet) / 11
Comments:
Index
ITEM / SUBJECT / PAGE1 / Introduction / 4
2 / Definition of User / 4
3 / Responsibilities / 5
4 / Legal Requirements / 5
5 /
Training and Risk Assessment
/ 56 /
Advice Non ‘Users’
/ 67 /
Your Health and DSE
/ 68 /
Eyesight
/ 79 /
Eye Tests
/ 710 /
Work Breaks and Job Design
/ 811 /
Laptops and Portable Devices
/ 912 /
Working with Equipment/Making Adjustments
/ 9Appendix A / Recommended Workstation Layout / 11
1. INTRODUCTION
The Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations of 1992 as amended 2002 were intended to minimise health risks arising from the use of Display Screen Equipment (DSE) at work. This covers the prolonged use of all DSE workstations including laptops and other hand held computer devices, whether used by permanent or temporary staff including those employed through external agencies who by the nature of their work, are classed as DSE “USERS” These guidance notes give you basic advice about safe working and how you can avoid risks to health.
These Regulations do not apply to workstations provided for students. It is nevertheless good practice for students to be trained to set up and use DSE and workstations in a way that minimises the risks.
2. DEFINITION OF USER
The regulations apply to most display screens where there is a 'user', that is, "employees who habitually use DSE equipment as a significant part of their normal work" - including self-employed persons in an employer's undertaking.
A DSE User, under the regulations, is an employee who meets points 1 to 3 with any one of the 4 to 7 of the following criteria outlined in Work with Display Screen Equipment (Guidance on Regulations):
All three are compulsory:
1. Normally uses DSE for continuous or near continuous spells of an hour or more at a time; and
2. Uses DSE in this way more or less daily; and
3. Have to transfer information quickly to or from the DSE
Minimum of one from below:
4. Needs to apply high levels of attention and concentration; or
5. Is Highly dependent on DSE; or
6. Has little choice about using it; or
7. Needs special training and skills to use the DSE.
Definite DSE users at the college would include the following groups of staff:-
Information Systems staff
Personal Assistants
Finance staff
Most College Administrators
The Health & Safety team will provide further guidance if needed. If you do not qualify as a ‘user’, but still use DSE equipment in your work, please refer to the guidance at the back of this policy to ensure you are working safely.
3. RESPONSIBILITIES
3.1 Line managers will:-
· Notify the Health and Safety Team that a member of their staff meets the criteria and requires DSE training/Workstation Risk Assessment.
· Ensure that identified staff complete training and risk assessment within the 6 week time period allowed by the system.
· Notify the Health and Safety Team when DSE Users leave or job role changes mean they no longer meet the criteria.
3.2 The Health and Safety Team will:-
· Be responsible for providing on-line DSE training, workstation risk assessments and advising on DSE issues.
· Will be responsible for providing eye test vouchers for DSE users as appropriate.
3.3 DSE User will:-
· Carry out the training and risk assessment as required by the College.
· Complete any action plan resulting from the risk assessment.
4. LEGAL REQUIREMENT
It is a legal requirement that the employer should ensure that all users have been provided with adequate and suitable health and safety training, and a work station that meets minimum requirement. Employees have a legal obligation to cooperate with the employer on all matters relating to health and safety.
5. TRAINING AND RISK ASSESSMENT
In order to comply with this legislation the college has invested in an online training and risk assessment program by Cardinus known as PACE, which is managed and monitored by the Health and Safety Team. Your line manager is required to inform the H&S Team that you meet the college criteria and are a user of display screen equipment. Your details will then be entered onto the system by the safety team and you will be invited by email to complete the online training and risk assessment. This must be carried out within 6 weeks of the original invitation and reminders will be sent during this time.
Failure to comply with this request may result in disciplinary action being taken.
6. ADVICE FOR NON ‘USERS’
Although the DSE regulations don’t apply to staff who do not meet the criteria, it is still worth setting up your workstation properly, to be as comfortable as possible. To help with this please familiarise yourself with the advice below and where possible set your workstation up as illustrated at the end of this document.
7. YOUR HEALTH AND DSE
Computers have been blamed - often wrongly - for a wide range of health problems, with only a small proportion of users actually suffering ill health as a direct result of their work. Poor workstation set up and incorrect use of equipment is usually the cause rather than the equipment/workstation being used. Most problems can be avoided by good workplace and job design, and by the way you use your workstation.
7.1 Aches, pains and ‘RSI’
Some users may experience aches and pains in their hands, wrists, arms, neck, shoulders or back, especially after long periods of uninterrupted computer work. ‘Repetitive strain injury’ (RSI) has become a popular term for these aches, pains and disorders, but can be misleading – it means different things to different people. A better medical name for this whole group of conditions is ‘upper limb disorders’. Usually these disorders do not last, but in a few cases they may become persistent or even disabling.
7.3 How to avoid these aches, pains and disorders
Problems of this kind may have a physical cause and can often be avoided by good workplace design, so that you can work comfortably, and by good working practices (like taking frequent short breaks from the computer). Prevention is easiest if action is taken early, before the problem has become serious and you should inform your line manager or support staff supervisor if you start to experience aches or pains that may be attributed to your workstation.
7.4 Stress and computer work
Computers in various forms have become a part of working life and in many cases make our work easier, but for some staff they may find themselves showing signs of stress. Causes of this type of stress include an increased pace of work, pressure to meet deadlines, problems with the system or when the user does not feel in control or lacks training on a particular program. It is rarely caused by the computer itself. It is this stress that is referred to in the training program. If you feel affected by this you should discuss the problems you are experiencing with your line manager and where appropriate additional training can be arranged and/or system reviewed.
7.5 Computers and epileptic fits
Most people with epilepsy are completely unaffected by display screens. A few who suffer from photo-sensitive epilepsy and are susceptible to flickering lights and striped patterns may be affected in some circumstances. But even they can often work successfully with computers without provoking an attack. If you feel you may be affected please speak to your line manager.
7.6 Headaches
There are many reasons why people get headaches. These include; stress, tiredness; extended periods of concentration, poor posture and circulation, visual fatigue and the general state of health. Some people who use display screen equipment may be more likely to experience several of these factors, but it is working with the display screen, and not the display screen itself, that has resulted in the discomfort.
Possible causes of headache could include:-
· screen glare;
· poor image quality;
· a need for different spectacles;
· stress from the pace of work;
· anxiety about new technology;
· reading the screen for long periods without a break;
· poor posture; or
· a combination of these.
8. EYESIGHT
One of the most frequently asked questions is whether using display screens can damage eyesight. Extensive research has found no evidence that display screens can cause disease or permanent damage to eyes. Such work may however identify an existing defect, and you may suffer visual fatigue after prolonged spells of concentration with the eyes continually focused at the same distance. Only a change in your work habits can overcome these problems - try to take "eye-breaks" regularly by looking away and relaxing the eye muscles.
You may experience sore eyes if you work in a very dry environment. This is not helped by the natural tendency to blink less whilst concentrating on the screen.
Contact lens wearers may find your lenses become uncomfortable. If you have this problem but don’t want to change to spectacles, you can try blinking more often or using tear-substitute drops.
You can help yourself by taking a few simple steps:
· Clean your screen regularly
· Adjust the position of your screen to avoid reflections and glare
· Pause every so often to relax your eyes - refocus onto a distant object, or through a window or on a picture on the wall.
9. EYE TESTS
Regulation 5(1) gives employers a duty to ensure the provision of appropriate eye and eyesight tests for recognised DSE Users on request. Eye tests would normally occur every two years, unless otherwise recommended by an optometrist. You will have to follow procedures laid down by the College - do not make your own arrangements and expect your employer to pay retrospectively.
To comply with this legislation SDC operates a voucher scheme in conjunction with SpecSavers; these vouchers for eye tests are available from the H & S office.
You can also ask for a test if you experience visual discomfort that you reasonably believe arises from screen use.
Any eye tests carried out other than using the voucher scheme will not be re-imbursed.
9.1 Glasses
Where the results of an eyesight test show that you need glasses solely and specifically to work with display screen equipment, the regulations state that your employer must meet the cost of supplying the basic frame and lenses. This will be covered by the voucher. If you need glasses for everyday use and they are suitable for use with VDU’s, then your employer does not have to pay towards the cost.
Note that only basic appliances need to be supplied, if you want to have more expensive glasses or frames, or tinted lenses, then you will be responsible for the extra cost.
9.2 Bifocals/varifocals
People with bifocal or varifocal spectacles may find them less than ideal for display screen work. It is important to be able to see the screen easily without having to raise or lower your head to enable you to do this you may need to adjust your screen height so that it is right for you, this may differ from the recommended height. If you can’t work comfortably with bifocals/varifocals, you may need a different type of spectacles. Consult your optician or doctor if in doubt.
10. WORK BREAKS AND JOB DESIGN
Try and organise your work so that the time spent on screen is regularly broken by periods of non-screen activity. Many of the aches and pains associated with display screen use arise because people sit in a fixed position for too long. There are no recommended maximum periods for working at a screen. In general it is better to take frequent short breaks than to have occasional longer breaks. Taking a break from screen work does not mean that you have to stop work altogether, but that you do something else instead. A change is as good as a rest! It is your arms, wrists and shoulders that will benefit from changes of activity - your eyes will be helped too.
Fixed breaks are not usually in your best interests, but are certainly better than none at all. The best solution is to be able to arrange your work activities to suit your own needs, so discuss your schedule with your line manager, to ensure that your work has variety and adequate breaks. Remember that the purpose of a break or change of activity is to prevent the onset of fatigue. If you wait until you feel aches, the recovery time will be longer.
11. LAPTOPS AND PORTABLE DEVICES
The regulations apply to portable DSE such as laptops, tablets, personal digital assistant devices and some portable communication devices in prolonged use. While there are no hard-and-fast rules on what constitutes ‘prolonged’ use, portable equipment that is habitually in use by a DSE user for a significant part of his or her normal work should be regarded as covered by the DSE regulations.
Laptops and other portables have to be compact and easy to carry. The resulting design features, like small keyboards, can make prolonged use uncomfortable, unless steps are taken to avoid problems.
It is best to avoid using a portable on its own if full-sized equipment is available. Like other display screen users, people who habitually use a portable device should be trained how to minimise risks. This includes sitting comfortably, angling the screen so it can be seen clearly with minimal reflections, and taking frequent breaks if work is prolonged. Wherever possible, portables should be placed on a firm surface at the right height for keying. A separate keyboard, mouse and riser are recommended if appropriate.