1. Working with Display Screen Equipment
Health and Safety Unit
Working with Display Screen Equipment

2. Possible ill-health effects resulting from using Display Screen Equipment at work
Visual discomfort (eye fatigue and headaches)
Upper limb disorders
Aches and pains (back, shoulder, neck or wrist) Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
Stress (mental and physical)

3. Hazardous working practices associated with Display Screen Equipment
Working with a poor posture
Working for too long without a break or change of position
A poor working environment
Poor management of workload

4. Avoiding health problems
Ensure the workstation is set up correctly
Adopt a good posture and change position regularly
Ensure the work is organised properly
Ask for an eye test if you have problems with your vision
Report aches and pains or ill-health

5. Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992
The Regulations relate to the protection of employees who habitually use display screen equipment as a significant part of their normal work. Regulation 1(2) c defines such employees as "Users".

6. Display screen users
“Users” are those who habitually use a display screen as a significant part of their work.
High Risk Users
Use DSE all day every day
Low Risk Users
Use DSE for short periods, but not every day
Non-Users
Use DSE very occasionally
Moderate Risk Users
Use DSE a few hours every day
Screen Shots: Microsoft Outlook

7. Employers duties
Analyse workstations of employees covered by the Regulations and reduce the risks.
Ensure workstations meet minimum requirements.
Plan work so there are breaks or changes of activity.
Provide eyesight testing and any necessary correction for VDU work.
Provide health and safety training.
Provide information.

8. Employers duties
Analysing workstations is normally done in the form of a Risk Assessment using checklists and will include the assessment of:
Environmental conditions.
Chairs and desks.
Display screen equipment including keyboard.
User/computer interface.

9. The risk of ill-health is related to how the workstation is used.
To reduce the risk:
Change posture regularly
Break up display screen work
Manage the workload
Organise the worktop
Maintain a good working environment

10. Supervisors’ and managers’ responsibilities
Be aware of the University policy and rules for health and safety
Ensure users follow the safe systems of work and good practice
Promptly follow up reports of problems or ill-health
Report problems they cannot deal with
Lead by example

11. Assessments Should be Made or Reviewed When:
A new person joins the team
A member of staff informs you they are experiencing problems with their workstation
A member of staff informs you that they have a disability
A member of staff lets you know that they are expecting a child
Before any new technology, equipment or software is introduced
There is an office move or redesign of the area, layout or lighting
There is a change in the type of work or amount of time that someone is using the equipment

12. Self-Awareness
The nature of your job means that you are bound to experience a certain amount of pressure. This in itself is not a problem. However, when you are working hard, because of peaks in workload and tight deadlines, it is essential to manage the cause of any stress you are experiencing.

13. Self-Awareness
This means building up good habits for looking after yourself while you work
Remember that, no matter how correct your posture is, sitting for long periods in the same position will eventually lead to muscle fatigue.
Be aware of the need for relaxation. Writing for prolonged, concentrated periods can lead to mental fatigue and tiredness.

14. Self-Awareness
If you feel pain or discomfort, anywhere, in your wrists, arms, shoulders, neck, back or legs……
STOP!
This is an indication that your body is getting tired
Relax your muscles, stand up, move around

15. The following suggestions may help to provide you with a more comfortable environment.

16. When working at the computer
adapt your surroundings and arrange your computing equipment to promote a comfortable and relaxed body posture.
Because everyone has a unique body size and work environment, we can't tell you exactly how to set up your workstation to avoid discomfort.

17. Position Yourself

18. Position Yourself

19. Position Yourself
There is a natural forward curve of the spine in the neck and lower back regions (the cervical and the lumbar regions).
These natural curves are maintained when you sit up straight with your shoulders back.
Correct seat adjustment will help you with this.

20. Position Yourself
To support your back, consider the following:
Choose a chair that provides support for your lower back.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

21. Position Yourself
Adjust your work surface height and your chair to assume a comfortable and natural body posture.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

22. Position Yourself
It is important that the chair has both an adjustable backrest and seat. They act together to ensure a comfortable, ergonomic posture.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

23. Position Yourself
The optimum seat height is the distance from the back of your knee to the floor when your feet are flat on the ground.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

24. Position Yourself To promote comfortable leg postures
Clear away items from beneath your desk to allow comfortable leg positions and movement.
Use a footrest if your feet do not rest comfortably on the floor.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

25. Position Yourself Zone your workstation.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

26. Position Yourself
To minimise reaching and to promote comfortable shoulder and arm postures
Place your keyboard and mouse or trackball at the same height; these should be at about elbow level.
When typing, centre your keyboard in front of you with your mouse or trackball located close to it.

27. Position Yourself

28. Position Yourself
Place frequently used items comfortably within arm's reach.

29. Position Yourself

30. Position Yourself
Place reference documents just within reach.

31. Position Yourself To promote proper wrist and finger postures.
Keep your wrists straight while typing and while using a mouse or trackball. Avoid bending your wrists up, down, or to the sides.

32. Position Yourself

33. Position Yourself

34. Position Yourself

35. Position Yourself
Type with your hands and wrists floating above the keyboard, so that you can use your whole arm to reach for distant keys instead of stretching your fingers.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

36. Position Yourself
Use the keyboard legs if they help you maintain a comfortable and straight wrist position.

37. Position Yourself To minimise neck bending and twisting.
Centre your monitor in front of you. Consider placing your documents directly in front of you and the monitor slightly to the side, if you refer to your documents more frequently than your monitor.
Consider using a document holder to position your documents near eye level.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

38. Position Yourself
Position the top of the screen near eye level.

39. Position Yourself

40. Position Yourself Source: Healthy Computing Guide

41. Position Yourself To minimise eyestrain.
Place your monitor at a distance of about arm's length when seated comfortably in front of the monitor.
Remember to clean your screen; if you wear glasses, clean them, also.
Adjust your monitor brightness, contrast, and font size to levels that are comfortable for you.

42. Position Yourself
Avoid glare. Place your monitor away from light sources that produce glare, or use window blinds to control light levels.
Reflective glare can cause you to deviate from your natural posture in order to see the screen clearly.

43. Go Lightly

44. Go Lightly Physical forces continuously interact with our bodies.
We may only think of high-impact forces, such as car crashes, as injuring our bodies.
However, low forces may also result in injuries, discomfort, and fatigue if they are repeated or experienced over long periods of time.

45. Go Lightly
Consider the following types of low forces:
Dynamic force, or a force that you exert through movement. For example, pressing the keys while typing or clicking the mouse buttons.
Static force, or a force that you maintain for a period of time. For example, holding your mouse or cradling the phone.
Contact force, or pressure that occurs when you rest on an edge or hard surface. For example, resting your wrists on the edge of your desk.

46. Go Lightly
Type with a light touch, keeping your hands and fingers relaxed, as it takes little effort to activate keyboard keys.
Also, use a light touch when clicking a mouse button or when using a joystick or other gaming controller.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

47. Go Lightly
Avoid resting your palms or wrists on any type of surface while typing. The palm rest, if provided, should only be used during breaks from typing.
Relax your arms and hands when you're not typing. Don't rest on edges, such as the edge of your desk.
Hold the mouse with a relaxed hand. Do not grip the mouse tightly.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

48. Go Lightly
Adjust your chair so the seat does not press into the back of your knees.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

49. Go Lightly
Adjust your chair so the seat does not press into the back of your knees.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

50. Take Breaks

51. Take Breaks
Taking breaks can go a long way in helping your body recover from any activity and may help you avoid MSDs.
The length and frequency of breaks that are right for you depend on the type of work you are doing.
Stopping the activity and relaxing is one way to take a break, but there are other ways, also. For instance, just changing tasks-perhaps from sitting while typing to standing while talking on the phone-can help some muscles relax while others remain productive.

52. Take Breaks Vary your daily activities.
Plan your work so that one activity isn't performed for extended periods of time.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

53. Computer Interface

54. Computer Interface
Learn about software and hardware features by reading the information that came with your software programs and hardware products.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

55. Computer Interface
Use different input devices, such as your mouse and keyboard, to accomplish the same task. For example, to perform a scrolling task, you can use the wheel on the mouse or the arrow keys on the keyboard.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

56. Computer Interface
Work more efficiently by using software and hardware features to reduce your effort and increase your productivity. For example, you can press the Windows logo key to open the Start menu.
Source: Healthy Computing Guide

57. Computer Interface Source: Healthy Computing Guide

58. Laptop Users
Portable equipment is designed for short term use because they are not adjustable.
You can use them, but to reduce the risks keep their use brief and double your efforts to give muscles a break
Select equipment that is lightweight and up to the task
Assess the risk of theft and violence

59. PDA Users
The hazards around using Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) are similar to using a laptop or mobile phone for text messaging which are:
Theft with menaces
Health issues similar to other DSE equipment

60. PDA Users
Just as using a mobile phone may make you a target for attack you should be aware of using the equipment where its use may inspire theft with menaces
Do not use them in such a situation and if you are threatened hand it over
In vehicles keep the equipment out of sight
Keep any inputting brief and intermittent and do not input while your back, head and neck are hunched
PDA’s do not damage your eyes, but prolonged peering at a small screen may cause eye fatigue

61. Summary To reduce risks associated with DSE:
The workstation must be set up correctly.
The equipment must be used properly.
The work must be suitably organised.
Users, supervisors and managers should be aware of the possible health risks.
Users, supervisors and managers should follow procedures and work safely.
Users should report any problems to their supervisors or managers.

62. For further information contact:
Your line Manager.
Local Safety Officer.
Health & Safety Unit.