DSE Training - Health and Safety When Using a Computer

To the unaccustomed eye the phrase 'Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Training' sounds like it could be something to do with understanding fixing personal computers. But you fooled by the words! DSE training is for anyone who regularly uses a computer.

In January 1993 The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 came into effect. These types of 'new' display screen rules became necessary due to surge in use of screen equipment, to safeguard the health of everyone "who habitually uses display display equipment as a significant part of his normal work". The computer into the safety display screen polices even apply to employees who work at home if they sit at a display for a good part of their work.

Obviously, by using a screen should not be viewed as really dangerous. In fact there is a great deal of ICT health and safety studies carried out, for example into how a computer may affect eyesight, and the results show there is no evidence that it causes disease or long lasting damage to eyes. Nearly all safety concerns related to by using a computer are related to poor posture. A high number of DSE workers, particularly those who haven't carried out DSE training, complain about cramps and pains, eyestrain and headaches. http://www.fit4work.co.uk/

Aches and aches and pains can have the hands, hands, wrists, arms, shoulder muscles and backs - these are musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) but are often called to as repetitive stress injuries (RSI). If nothing at all is done to help, and staff aren't given DSE training, these discomfort and pains could very well become serious. A poor writing position and not taking regular breaks are common causes of RSI traumas.

Headaches and eyestrain may be exacerbated by display glare from a terribly positioned computer screen, inappropriate contrast on the display screen, screen characters which are too small or not in sharp focus or spending too long looking at the screen without a break. Stress from workload and badly designed software can even be a major aspect in creating tension headaches.

Stats from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that although work-related MSDs take the decrease, they still make up an alarming proportion of the work-related illnesses each season. In 2010/2011 practically you. 2 million employees were suffering from a work-related illness and of these practically half (508, 000) were musculoskeletal disorders. MSDs are the result of computer use naturally, other factors such as poor manual handling technique also plays a part.