TOOLBOX TALK

Display Screen Equipment TBT/OG/030

The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of

Display Screen Health and Safety At Work Regulations 1999 require us to assess the
hazards and risk from your use of DSE equipment and provide you with

Equipment
healthy and safe working conditions. We have to instruct, train and
inform you about hazards and risks and what you need to do to work in
safe and healthy way.

What is DSE? Workstation Set Up Guide

Monitor
DSE includes any device that has an The very top of the screen
alphanumeric or graphic display screen. It should be level with your
includes conventional computer screens, Posture eyes, in your line of sight.
Keep your shoulders The screen should be
laptops, tablets, smartphones, and relaxed. Elbows should directly in front of you; it
portable devices such as laptops and stay in-line with your should be an arm’s
sides. Make sure that your distance away when you
touch-screen devices. forearms are in-line with are sitting in an upright
the desk. Your desk position.
should be set just below
Health Risks your elbow. There should
be a 2-3 finger gap
Wellbeing
Drinking water
The main risks of poor DSE use are: between the back of the encourages more
knee and the seat of the movement throughout the
Eye Fatigue day as you get up to refill
chair. If your feet do not
Eye Strain remain solidly flat on the your bottle. Take short
frequent breaks from your
Upper Limb Disorders floor, when you are sat at
screen during the day.
Poor Posture
the correct height, then Workspace
you will need to use a
Backache footrest. Make sure there is enough workspace to
accommodate all documents or other
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome equipment. A document holder may help
avoid awkward neck and eye movements.
Arrange the desk and screen to avoid glare,

Safety Measures
or bright reflections. This is often easiest if
the screen is not directly facing windows or
bright lights.
DSE health risks can be overcome by
following the advice as supplied by the
HSE, which is stated in this tool box talk. It
is important to report any issue you have
with DSE use to your manager.

Carry out a DSE assessment for your

Breaking up long spells of DSE work helps prevent fatigue,
workstation. You will need a separate one
eye strain, upper limb problems and backache. As the
for hot desking or home working. employer you need to plan, so users can interrupt prolonged
use of DSE with changes of activity. Organised or scheduled
rest breaks may sometimes be a solution.
Eye Sight Tests
Stretch and change position.
If you suffer eye strain while using DSE Look into the distance from time to time, and blink often.
equipment you must tell your manager so 20-20-20 Rule.
Change activity before users get tired, rather than to
that we can arrange for you to have a DSE recover.
eye test. We will pay for this test which is Short, frequent breaks are better than longer, infrequent
ones
to identify whether you need glasses
specifically for DSE work. Once you have read the TBT, please
complete the test. Scan the QR code. LINK