Accessibility statement

Computer safety

Nearly everyone in the Department of Biology uses display screen equipment (DSE), such as a computer, as part of their normal everyday work. Normal, intermittent use of such equipment does not normally give rise to significant risks, but long periods of use, with poor lighting or bad posture can cause health problems. The University of York has adopted its Management Procedure for the use of Display Screen Equipment.

The biggest problems are typically associated with:

  • prolonged use without rest causing eye strain / fatigue
  • intensive use of mouse causing wrist aches and pain
  • poor lighting - reflections of lights or windows on the screen
  • poor seating - insufficient back support or poor leg support
  • poor keyboard location - insufficient room to rest your wrists
  • poor mouse position - badly positioned mouse causing bad posture

It is the responsibility of the employer to ensure that none of these problems arise. It is the responsibility of the users to report any failures to meet the requirements to the appropriate person.

Are you a 'User'?

The University is required to establish which members of staff are classed as DSE 'Users', a term that is more technical than its normal usage. 'Users' are essentially staff who are reliant on visual DSE as a major tool to do their job and who accordingly spend a significant part of their working day entering and extracting information. Although there is no exact definition of what constitutes a 'User', there are a number of factors that you should be consider in deciding if you are a user or not. These include:

  • Are you dependent on the use of visual DSE to do your job or have little choice about using them?
  • Is the use of the DSE equipment one of the primary functions of your job?
  • Do you require special training or expertise to use DSE?
  • Do you use DSE on most working days for continuous spells of more than an hour at a time?
  • Is the fast transfer of information to or from the screen an important part of the job?
  • Do you have to work to a demanding standard of attention or concentration?

If you answer YES to all questions you are defined as a 'User'.

If you answer NO to most questions you are certainly not a 'User'

If in any doubt whether you are a user or not your classification should be discussed with a trained assessor: Paul Waites

It is important that all 'Users' of Display Screen Equipment within the Department have their workstation assessed to ensure that their computer work will not cause health problems such musco-skeletal aches and strains, eye fatigue and mental stress. Problems of this kind can be overcome by good ergonomic design of equipment, furniture, the working environment and the tasks performed. The assessment process is designed to highlight such problems and take action to remove or at least reduce any identified risks.

Students

Students are not classed as employees within the meaning of the Regulations. However, the Department will apply the key principles of the regulations in our provision of DSE to be used by students. There is no requirement to provide students with eye tests of any kind.

The assessment process

The following process is in place to assess workstations of computer (DSE) users:

  • Self assessment offers a simple, way of assessing your workstation
  • The results of this assessment will be recorded by the Health & Safety (Training) Department.
  • If issues / concerns are identified in the self-assessment that cannot easily be resolved by the user, users should arrange to see a local departmental assessor to agree appropriate action to resolve issue(s) raised.
  • A more formal assessment of the workstation may be carried out by the assessor if required using the Workstation Assessment Form
  • Agreed actions should be implemented as soon as reasonably practicable
  • The assessments will be passed on to the Departmental Safety Advisor who will consider the assessments, and countersigns to agree or disagree.
  • It will be necessary to review assessments in the light of changes which could affect their validity, for example:
    • major change in the workstation furniture
    • major change in the hardware (screen, keyboard, input devices, etc.)
    • major change in the software used
    • substantial increase in the amount of time spent using DSE
    • substantial change in other aspects of the task (for example, requirement for greater speed or accuracy)
    • relocation of the workstation
    • significant changes to the lighting in the area of the workstation
  • Further supplementary training highlighting good practices that computer users should follow.