Why We Should Be Doing Our DSE Assessments
As a qualified DSE Assessor, I am a huge advocate of carrying out DSE (display screen equipment) assessments and ensuring that each and every employee within a company has the opportunity to have one. Or, at the very least to carry out a self-assessment following a brief training session / guide or eLearning tool which is the legal requirement in the UK under the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) in the Display Screen Regulations 1992.
I’ve not been an advocate however, just since the DSE Assessor training but since recognising the impact that sitting at a desk, (or now a dining table, on a sofa or bed!) with a computer each working day (and actually quite a few weekends…!) can have on our bodies. Four shoulder surgeries later, I definitely see why it’s crucial to understand our anatomy more when working with this equipment and the impact not setting yourself up correctly, and equally checking that set up regularly can have.
Additionally, since qualifying I have assessed over 350 people and reviewed twice as many self-assessment forms. My most memorable experience being when one employee told me I had “changed his life” – he spent 7:30am to 8pm on average at his desk, 4-5 days a week with very little time for lunch or away in meetings. As a Research Analyst he had to have a high level of focus and attention to the detail on his screens and was very much in need of help.
Because the firm I worked at recognised the importance of Health & Safety and carrying out DSEs, we were able to prevent symptoms such as RSI (repetitive strain injury, now more commonly known as upper limb disorder) getting worse, which can sometimes lead to surgery, meaning… yes you guessed it, time off work. We also changed the impact sitting for such long periods of time had on his back – simply by advising that he stand up for around 30 seconds, every 30-60 minutes or whenever he realised he hadn’t moved for some time, looking in the distance and sitting back down.
The reality is, as much as we encourage breaks away from the workstation, it doesn’t always happen and isn’t always possible so, this is the best alternative. The easiest thing I did that day to this guy’s desk, however was to raise his chair, probably only by 2cm – he was sitting a little too low and was overreaching to access his keyboard and mouse. This, very simple change made the difference and is why he was so grateful for the visit.
And it is often just that, simple changes. Get to know your chair: how does it raise or lower, can I move the seat pan or the lumbar support? Many, many people say to me “oh my, I never knew that could move, or it could do that”. The average price for fairly decent office chairs is around £300 per unit, and can go up to over £1,000 if your employer invests in a higher quality, multi-functional product. But you can get some that have great functions and features for around £200-300, such as seat pan slides, tilt functions and lumbar support.
By inviting your staff to training, perhaps at induction where you talk through Health and Safety in general, maybe HR and your organisational structure you can add in a few slides on DSE and the correct seating positions, all in very neutral states also sharing information on standard issued equipment and how to use it: cue your chair guide! You can do this through forms, eLearning platforms, PowerPoint slides you whip round on an email – there really are so many ways depending on your time and budget to hit this legislative requirement.
Then you need to assess them, by doing a self-assessment you are meeting the legal requirement. Again, forms you email, eLearning platforms or doing an assessment with them at their desk or virtually. It’s really important that someone competent in DSEs checks these through and follows up where needed. Assessments should be done at least annually for all staff, when someone is new, when there’s a change such as a desk move or pregnancy, injury etc. and we need to be mindful of those with disabilities or additional needs who might require reasonable adjustments made to their workstation and equipment.
So, now over to you… it’s easy, I promise! And there are plenty of free guides on the HSE website and a self-assessment checklist, with a rough guide of “how to” get your desk in order and an explanation for each item (here). We also have plenty of guides, training templates and forms on The Office Management Portal ready for you to edit and use in your business as well as recommended Partners who can provide eLearning.
The simplest thing I find, to remember when looking at a desk set-up is to work with the person’s most relaxed, natural and neutral body-state. It’s often tricky to get people to relax in the office, which is why I try to make the DSEs informative but fairly informal and insightful for the employees I see. Lastly, as I always state in training sessions – BLINK. If you want to know why, book in with us for a DSE assessment!
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