Risk Assessing Display Screen Equipment (PDF)

1. What is display screen equipment (DSE)?

1.1. Where did the term DSE come from?

1.2. What are the differences between DSE, a VDU and a monitor?

2. DSE legislation - what do you need to know?

2.1. What about the legislation?

2.2. What changed?

2.3. Who is a user?

2.4. Do we need to worry about enforcement?

2.5. What about agency staff?

3. Why is DSE potentially unsafe to use?

3.1. What are the issues?

3.2. So do we need to worry about DSE at all?

3.3. Can DSE adversely affect eyesight?

3.4. What’s our position on eyesight tests?

3.5. Do we have to provide glasses too?

3.6. We’ve heard about a £50 rule. What is this?

4. The workstation

4.1. Are there any hard and fast rules for DSE-related equipment?

4.2. How should the workstation be set up?

4.3. Do I need a separate DSE assessment for a standing desk?

4.4. What about rest breaks?

5. The format of the assessment

5.1. What about training?

5.2. What is a DSE risk assessment?

5.3. Who should complete the assessment?

5.4. How do we review the assessment?

5.5. Does this mean we have to spend money on the workstation?

5.6. How should we approach the assessment?

5.7. What about workstations with multiple users?

5.8. What do we do with the assessments once completed and reviewed?

5.9. How often is a re-assessment needed?

5.10. What if someone complains of aches and pains?