THE ANSWER, FIRST
Where staff are DSE users, assess their workstations and reduce the risks. Office, home and hot-desking arrangements all need consideration.
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Who is responsibleYour next stepsBefore spending moneyWhat you can do yourselfPutting it into practiceRecords to keepWhen to reviewCommon questionsOfficial sourcesWho is responsible?
Workers using display screen equipment daily for continuous periods of an hour or more, including relevant home workers.
Assess DSE workstations, reduce identified risks and provide the required information, training and arrangements for breaks or changes of activity and eye tests.
START HERE
Your next three steps
- 1
Identify DSE users, including hybrid and home workers.
- 2
Assess the whole workstation and how it is used.
- 3
Address identified issues and review when working arrangements change.
BEFORE YOU PAY
Make sure you’re buying the right job
- Identify the users and the workstations they actually use.
- Collect concerns about discomfort, equipment and work routines.
- Ask how assessments lead to changes and support, rather than just completed forms.
Watch out: Providing an online questionnaire alone does not resolve the problems it identifies.
Compare the whole cost of two quotesWhat can you do yourself?
A suitable self-assessment process can help gather information. Someone must review the answers and act on problems; handing out a form is not the end of the process.
When to get competent help
Get appropriate help when problems cannot be resolved through your assessment process or equipment changes. Do not treat an online form as a medical diagnosis.
Make the assessment lead to a workable setup
Before you commission work
Ask staff about the workstations they actually use, including home and shared desks. Explain how they can report problems and who will review the information. If buying software or an assessment service, ask what happens to flagged answers and whether individual follow-up is included.
Follow through on the result
Track agreed changes and ask whether they have helped. Keep unresolved issues assigned to someone rather than closing the assessment when a form is submitted. When comparing providers, distinguish the cost of collecting responses from the cost of understanding problems, advising on changes and checking the outcome.
Keep a useful record
Aim for information that helps the next person make a sound decision.
- Which workstations and users were assessed.
- Issues raised, actions and follow-up.
- Relevant training and arrangements for eye-test requests.
When to review it
Assess relevant workstations and review following changes, discomfort or evidence that controls are not effective.
Ask a supplier to distinguish a legal deadline, a recommendation based on risk and a condition in your contract or insurance. They are not interchangeable.
Questions to put to a provider
- Who follows up problems identified by the assessment?
- Does this cover home and hybrid setups?
- How will staff request further help?
Common questions
Does DSE only mean desktop computers?
No. HSE includes laptops, tablets and smartphones. The work pattern matters when deciding who is a DSE user.
Do home workers count?
Yes. The duties apply to DSE users working at home as well as in the office.
Check the official sources
Read the current guidance for the place where you operate. A link is not an endorsement of this website by the regulator.
Source-checked guidance. Specialist editorial sign-off is pending; this is not an assessment of your business. It does not cover every specialist activity or replace competent, case-specific advice.
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