1. A guide to... Display Screen Equipment

2. The aim of this presentation...
To understand what Display Screen Equipment (DSE) is
Who the regulations apply to
What health problems can occur from using DSE
How to set up your workstation correctly
Suitable posture and breaks
Plus... Take our quiz at the end to test your knowledge

3. What is DSE? Q.
What’s the difference between a VDU, a VDT, a Monitor and Display Screen Equipment (DSE)? A.
There isn’t one. All these terms mean the same thing – a display screen. Usually forming part of a computer and showing text, numbers or graphics.

4. The Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992
The Regulations require employers to minimise the risks in VDU work by ensuring workplaces and jobs are well designed
The Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 implement an EC Directive and came into effect from January 1993 (some small changes were made in 2002).

5. Who is affected?
The regulations apply where staff habitually use VDUs as a significant part of their normal work
The Regulations also apply if you are an employee working from home and habitually use a VDU as part of your normal work
Other people, who only use VDUs occasionally are not covered by the requirements in the Regulations (apart from the workstation requirements). However, their employers still have general duties to protect them under other Health & Safety at Work Legislation.

6. Does DSE work affect my health?
DSE is often wrongly blamed for many health problems, but problems are normally caused by the way in which DSE is used
Problems can be avoided by good workplace and job design and by the way in which you use DSE and your workstation
DSE is often wrongly blamed for many health problems but only a small proportion of users actually suffer ill health as a result of their work.

7. Ill Health Effects
Ill health effects of using DSE can be caused or made worse by a number of factors which include:
Screen Glare
Workplace stress
Introduction of new technology / software
Long periods of screen work
Screen Glare causes poor image quality causing users to adopt poor posture
Workplace Stress – which after Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) are the second most common cause of occupational ill health
Introduction of new technology/software
Long periods of screen work
Poor Posture
Lack of ergonomic design for work equipment / seating and space
Room environment such as ventilation, temperature, lighting, humidity
Poor posture
Lack of ergonomic design for the workstation
Room environment

8. What are the risks?
The risks are low but poorly set up workstations or bad practice can lead to:
Pain and discomfort in neck, hands, arms and back
Eye strain
Fatigue and stress
Pains and discomfort in neck, hands, arms and back which if prolonged over a period of time could lead to Work Related Upper Limb Disorder (WRULD)
Eyesight effects such as eye strain
Fatigue and stress
Very rarely skin disorders – facial dermatitis which is probably caused by a mixture of dry air and static electricity
Very rarely skin disorders such as facial dermatitis

9. What about RSI?
Some users get aches and pains in their hands, wrists, arms, shoulders or back after long periods of uninterrupted DSE work
‘Repetitive Sprain Injury’ (RSI) has become a popular term for these aches, pains and disorders, but can be misleading
A better medical name for these conditions is ‘Upper Limb Disorders’
Usually upper limb disorders don’t last but in a few cases become persistent or even disabling
If you get aches or pains you should alert your line manager or supervisor

10. Employer Duties Employers have to:
Analyse workstations, and assess and reduce risks
Plan work so there are breaks or changes of activity away from the computer
On request, provide eye tests at regular intervals.
Analyse workstations and assess and reduce risks. This includes the equipment, furniture, the work environment, the job being done and any special needs required by staff. Workstations should meet minimum requirements such as providing adjustable chairs and suitable lighting
Plan work so there are breaks or changes of activity away from the computer. The breaks are not required to be a specific length of time but the general advice is to provide more frequent, shorter ones as opposed to less, longer ones. Ideally, the operator should be allowed a certain amount of discretion as to when to take breaks away from the screen.
On request, provide eye tests or spectacles if special ones are required. Employees can ask their employer to pay for eye tests and there is also a requirement to test at regular intervals. Employers only have to pay for spectacles if special ones (for example, prescribed for the distance at which the screen is viewed) are needed and normal ones cannot be used.
Provide health, safety and training information specific to the safe use of working with DSE and computers. Employers should make sure employees can use their DSE and workstation safely and know how to best avoid health problems, for example by adjusting the chair.
Provide health, safety and training information

11. What can I do to help myself?
Making adjustments to suit you
What can I do to help myself?
Make full use of the equipment provided and adjust it to avoid potential health problems
Over the next few slides are some practical tips to ensure you’re as comfortable as possible

12. Getting Comfortable
Adjust your chair and computer screen to the most comfortable position
Try different arrangements of keyboard, mouse, screen and documents to find the best position 1. 4. 2.
As a guide, your forearms should be horizontal and your eyes the same height as the top of the screen
Arrange your desk to avoid glare or bright reflections on your screen 5.
Make sure you have enough workspace for documents and other equipment
Ensure there is space for your legs to move freely under the desk 3. 6.

13. Correct Workstation Setup1
Adjustable seat back 2
Good lumbar support 3
Adjustable seat height 9 4
No excess pressure on thighs and back of knees 5
Foot support if needed 7 8
Space for postural change, no obstacles under desk 6 2 10 7
Forearms horizontal 1 6
Minimal movement of wrists (up, down, sideways) 8 4 9
Screen height should allow comfortable head position 3
Space in front of keyboard to support hands/wrists when not typing 10 5

14. Keying in Adjust your keyboard to get a good keying position
A space in front of the keyboard is useful for resting hands and wrists when not keying
Try to keep your wrists straight when keying. Keep a soft touch and don’t overstretch fingers
Consider using a gel wrist support to help you maintain a neutral wrist position

15. Using a Mouse
Position the mouse within easy reach so your wrist remains straight
Sit upright and close to the desk so your arm is not stretched
Support your forearm on the desk and don’t grip the mouse too tightly
Rest your fingers lightly on the mouse and do not press them too hard
Consider using an ergonomic orbit mouse to reduce arm movement

16. Reading the Screen Adjust the brightness and contrast
Ensure the screen surface is clean
When setting up software, choose options giving text that is large enough to read easily on screen
Select colours that are easy on the eye. Avoid red text on a blue background etc
Individual characters on the screen should be sharply focussed and shouldn’t flicker or move

17. Posture & Breaks
Don’t sit in the same position for long periods – make sure you change your posture regularly
Most jobs provide opportunities to take a break from the screen, e.g. filing or photocopying
If there are no such breaks in your job your employer should provide rest breaks
Frequent short breaks are better than fewer long ones

18. Posture Checklist Head Shoulders Elbows Hands, Wrists, Forearms Back
When the head is balanced and in neutral position the eyes will be looking slightly down
Shoulders
Relax the shoulders so that the upper limbs hang normally at the side of the body
Elbows
Close to the body. Bent between 90° and 120°
Hands, Wrists, Forearms
These should be straight, parallel and in line with the floor
Back
To fully support the back the lumbar spine should be supported with a backrest lumbar support. The user should be able to sit vertically or lean slightly back
Thighs, Hips
User’s seat should be sufficiently padded. Hips should be slightly higher than knees
Knees
Slightly lower than hips, feet placed forward.
Feet
Flat on floor or if legs are dangling give a footrest to support the lower limbs

19. More Information
This presentation contains notes on good practice which are not compulsory but you may find them helpful when considering what you need to do
A new downloadable tool can help reduce the likelihood of employees suffering from Musculoskeletal Disorders.
The Assessment of Repetitive Tasks (ART) tool was developed by the HSE and Health & Safety Laboratory (HSL).
Go to
Source: HSE

20. Quick Quiz!
1. What’s the difference between VDU, VDT, a monitor and Display Screen Equipment?
2. Do the Display Screen Equipment Regulations apply to employees that work from home?
3. Ill health effects of using DSE can be caused or made worse by a number of factors – describe three factors
4. If you start getting aches and pains, what should you do?
Answers:
There isn’t one. All these terms mean the same thing – a display screen.
Yes. The Regulations also apply if you are an employee working from home and habitually use a VDU as part of your normal work.
3. Screen Glare, Workplace Stress, New Technology/Software, Long periods of screen work, Poor posture, Lack of ergonomic design (work equipment, seating, space), Room environment (Ventilation, Temperature, Lighting, Humidity).
4. Inform your line manager or supervisor.
5. To fully support the back the lumbar spine should be supported with a backrest lumbar support. The user should be able to sit vertically or lean slightly back.
5. In the posture checklist, describe how the back should be supported and what position the user should be in.