Health and Safety The risks involved in working with ICT © Folens 2008

ICT health problems Back ache Repetitive strain injury (RSI) Eye strain Stress © Folens 2008

Back ache: the problems Caused by incorrect posture Computer users tend to slouch Laptop users frequently work with computer on their knee Can be made worse by a poorly designed chair © Folens 2008

Prevention of back ache Use an adjustable chair Make sure you make adjustments to the chair to suit you Sit up straight – do not slouch Ensure screen is at the correct angle and directly in front of you Use a footrest © Folens 2008

Stress Working with computers is stressful. This can be caused by: the pace of work having to learn new technology frustrating software losing work – problems with viruses © Folens 2008

Eye strain Causes blurred vision and headaches Can be caused by focusing on the screen for long periods Also caused by glare/reflections on the screen or a dirty screen © Folens 2008

Preventing eye strain Keep the screen clear (use screen wipes) Avoid glare by using adjustable blinds Take regular breaks Look away from the screen to focus on a distant object at regular intervals Have regular eye-tests © Folens 2008

Repetitive strain injury Caused by repetitive actions such as typing or mouse clicking Causes aches in hands, wrists, arms and neck Pain can eventually be painful and disabling Can be avoided © Folens 2008

Avoiding RSI Adjust the chair to suit you Ensure you have enough workspace Use a document holder Use a wrist rest Keep wrists straight when keying in Position the mouse so your wrist can be kept straight Learn how to type properly © Folens 2008

The Law The law concerning the health risks involved in using ICT equipment is dealt with in the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 © Folens 2008

The law requires employers: to inspect workstations, assess and reduce risks to ensure that workstations meet certain standards (e.g., adjustable chairs, tiltable screens, no glare on screens, suitable lighting, etc.) to plan work so there are breaks or changes in activity to arrange free eye-tests for employees and provide free glasses if they are needed to provide health and safety training © Folens 2008

Chairs should: have an adjustable back rest to support the back allow the seat height to be adjusted have a 5-castor base have adjustable arm rests © Folens 2008

Footrest A footrest should be made available A footrest should allow the user to have their back crease of their knee slightly higher than the pan of the chair © Folens 2008

Keyboards Keyboards should be separate from the screen (NB this is often not the case with laptops) Keyboards should be tiltable Keyboards should have a matt surface to reduce glare Keyboards should include enough space to rest your wrists © Folens 2008

Ergonomic keyboards It is an ergonomic keyboard Designed to help reduce RSI © Folens 2008

Lights No point sources of light (to reduce reflections on the screen) Adjustable blinds reduce the amount of sunshine entering through windows Matt grey keyboard, mouse, screen, etc., to reduce glare © Folens 2008

Other office equipment Desks – correct height Non-reflective surface Plenty of room to work © Folens 2008