A guide to...
Display
Screen
Equipment
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
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.
Regulations
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
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
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
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
• Poor posture
• Lack of ergonomic design for the workstation
• Room environment
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
• Very rarely skin disorders such as facial dermatitis
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’
If you get aches or pains you
should alert your line manager
or supervisor
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.
Provide health,
safety and
training
information
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
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
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
Make sure you have enough
workspace for documents and
other equipment
Ensure there is space for your
legs to move freely under the
desk
Correct Workstation Setup
1 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
6 Space for postural change,
no obstacles under desk
2
10
7 Forearms horizontal
1
6
8 Minimal movement of wrists
(up, down, sideways)
4
9 Screen height should allow
comfortable head position
3
10 Space in front of keyboard to
support hands/wrists when not
typing
5
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
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
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
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
Posture Checklist
Head
Shoulders
Elbows
Hands, Wrists,
Forearms
Back
Thighs, Hips
Knees
Feet
When the head is balanced and in neutral position the eyes will
be looking slightly down
Relax the shoulders so that the upper limbs hang normally at
the side of the body
Close to the body. Bent between 90° and 120°
These should be straight, parallel and in line with the floor
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
User’s seat should be sufficiently padded. Hips should be
slightly higher than knees
Slightly lower than hips, feet placed forward.
Flat on floor or if legs are dangling give a footrest to support
the lower limbs
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 www.hse.gov.uk/msd/uld/art/
Source: HSE
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?
5. In the posture checklist, describe how the back should
be supported and what position the user should be in.