Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations (DSE, 1992)

• The advent of modern information technology has brought in its wake a number of health and safety problems such as musculoskeletal injuries, visual fatigue and mental stress. Such illnesses are not an inevitable consequence of working with DSE but the introduction of sound ergonomic techniques can reduce the incidence.
• The DSE regulations implement the EU Directive 90/270/EEC on the minimum health and safety requirements for work with display screen equipment; ie any alphanumeric or graphic display screen, visual display terminals (both cathode ray and liquid crystal displays) and non-electronic display systems such as microfiche.
• The regulations only apply to employees who habitually use DSE as a significant part of their normal work. Some or all of the following criteria may be helpful in deciding whether an individual is a ‘user’. A ‘user’:
  • depends on the DSE to do his job and alternative means are not readily available;
  • has no discretion in using DSE;
  • has had special training and/or particular skills in the use of DSE;
  • normally uses the equipment for continuous spells of an hour or more at a time more or less every day;
  • must provide a fast transfer of information; and
  • requires a high level of attention and concentration to use the equipment.
• The regulations apply to ‘workstations’ which consists of the DSE, optional accessories (egs, footrest, filter screen, copy holder), peripheral equipment (egs desk, chair, printer, telephone) and the immediate environment.

Assessment of workstations

• The University must perform a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of all DSE workstations used by ‘Users’ and the risks identified must be reduced to the lowest reasonably practicable level. The assessment must be reviewed if, for any reason, it becomes invalid.
• The views of individual users form an essential part of the assessment and remedial action taken when problems such as bad posture, impaired vision, fatigue and stress are disclosed.
• The assessment should include consideration of the following:
  • the display screen;
  • the keyboard;
  • the work desk or surface;
  • environmental requirements, such as space, lighting, reflection, glare, noise, heat, radiation and humidity; and
  • the interface between the computer and user.
• The assessments and any remedial action for new workstations (post 01/01/93) must be carried out as soon as is reasonably practicable, those for existing workstations (pre 01/01/93) must be carried out by 31/12/96.

Daily work routine of users

The University must plan the DSE work of users such that it is periodically interrupted with work breaks or changes of activity. These activities should not require a similar use of eyes, arms or hands.

Eyes and eyesight

• The University must ensure that users are provided (at their request) with an appropriate eye and eyesight test to be carried out by a competent person. This test must be carried out at regular intervals and also where a user experiences visual difficulties.
• The University must supply the user with special (ie middle distance) corrective appliances (glasses) where the test shows there is a need for these. The special corrective appliances need only be supplied where normal corrective appliances cannot be used.

Information and training

• The University must ensure that all users receive adequate health and safety information and training concerning work with DSE.

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