The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 came into effect from January 1993 to implement an EC Directive. They require employers to 

minimise the risks in VDU work by ensuring that workplaces and jobs are well designed.

The Regulations apply where staff habitually use VDUs as a significant part of their normal work. Other people, who use VDUs only occasionally, are not covered by these Regulations, but their employers still have general duties to protect them under other health and safety legislation.

The Regulations cover individuals working both in the office and at home.  The critical question is do they regularly use VDU equipment as a part of their normal work? 

What are the dangers?

VDUs have been blamed - often wrongly - for a wide range of health problems. In fact, only a small proportion of VDU users actually suffer ill health as a result of their work. Where problems do occur, they are generally caused by the way in which VDUs are being used, rather than the VDUs themselves. So problems can be avoided by good workplace and job design, and by the way the VDU and workstation are used.

Upper Limb Disorders    

Some users may get aches and pains in their hands, wrists, arms, neck, shoulders or back, especially after long periods of uninterrupted VDU work. Repetitive strain injury (RSI) has become a popular term for these aches, pains and disorders, but can be misleading - it means different things to different people. A better medical name for this whole group of conditions is upper limb disorders. Usually these disorders do not last, but in a few cases they may become persistent or even disabling.  

Radiation    

Extensive research has taken place on radiation levels from VDUs.  They give out both visible light, which enables us to see the screen, and other forms of electromagnetic radiation which can be harmful above certain levels. However, the levels of radiation emitted from VDUs are well below the safe levels set out in international recommendations. So your employer doesn't have to check radiation levels from your VDU, and you do not need any special devices such as spectacles, screens or aprons when using it.

Pregnancy  

You don't need to stop working with VDUs. Past concerns, about reports of miscarriages and birth defects among some groups of VDU workers, has not been borne out by more recent research. Many scientific studies have now been carried out and, taken as a whole, these do not show any link between miscarriages or birth defects and working with VDUs.  If you are anxious about your VDU or about work generally during pregnancy, you should talk to your doctor.

Stress

People who use a VDU sometimes complain of stress, but this usually arises from increased pace of work or pressure to meet deadlines, not the VDU itself. Some VDU workers find stress reduced because the VDU makes their job easier or more interesting, but for others stress becomes worse. This can happen when a system does not work well or when the user does not feel in control or competent to operate it.

Employers can help overcome stress by providing the right training, and by designing systems and tasks to match the abilities of the people who work with them.

Eyesight

Employees covered by the Regulations can ask their employer to provide and pay for an eye and eyesight test. This is a test by an optometrist or doctor. There is also an entitlement to further tests at regular intervals; the optometrist doing the first test can recommend when the next should be. Employers only have to pay for spectacles if special ones (for example, prescribed for the distance at which the screen is viewed) are needed and normal ones cannot be used.

Extensive research has found no evidence that VDUs can cause disease or permanent damage to eyes. But long spells of VDU work can lead to tired eyes and discomfort. Also, by giving the eyes more demanding tasks, users may become aware of an eyesight problem they had not noticed.  Such problems can be minimised by ensuring the VDU is well positioned and properly adjusted, and that the workplace lighting is suitable.  Under the Regulations the employer is required to meet the costs of eye tests if you think there is a problem.

Contact lenses or Bifocals

The heat generated by VDUs can make the air seem drier, and some contact lens wearers find this uncomfortable.  One option is to change to spectacles, alternatively blinking more often or using tear-substitute drops may help.  People with bifocal spectacles may find them less than ideal for VDU work. It is important to be able to see the screen easily without having to raise or lower your head. If you can't work comfortably with bifocals, you may need a different type of spectacles.

Headaches

Headaches may result from several things that occur with VDU work, such as:

·      screen glare

·      poor image quality

·      a need for different spectacles

·      stress from the pace of work

·      anxiety about new technology

·      reading the screen for long periods without a break

·      poor posture or

·      a combination of these.

Many of these things can easily be put right once the cause of the problem has been found.

Skin Disorders

This is rare. A few people have experienced irritation, rashes or other skin problems when working with a VDU. The exact cause is not known, but it seems possible that a combination of dry air, static electricity and individual susceptibility may be involved. If this is the case, increasing the humidity or allowing more fresh air into the room may help. 

Epileptic fits

Most people with epilepsy are completely unaffected by VDUs. A few who suffer from photo- sensitive epilepsy and are susceptible to flickering lights and striped patterns may be affected in some circumstances. But even they can often work successfully with VDUs without provoking an attack.

Working With VDUs

The most common problem with VDUs is upper limb disorders.  The risk of these can be significantly reduced if adjustments are made to the workplace design:

Getting Comfortable

·      Adjust your chair and VDU to find the most comfortable position for your work.  

·      As a broad guide, your forearms should be approximately horizontal and your eyes the same height as the top of the VDU.  

·      Set your screen to a comfortable height, usually with the top just below eye level, so you do not have to stretch your neck.

·      Place your keyboard so there is room to rest your hands in front of it. Adjust your chair so your arms are about horizontal to the keyboard. Make sure there is room for your feet to rest under your desk. Get a footrest if your feet can't rest easily on the floor.

·      If you use a laptop, work with it on a table, never on your lap.

·      Make sure you have enough work space to take whatever documents or other equipment you need.

·      Avoid cluttering it up with books, papers etc. Make sure you have enough clear space to operate your mouse easily & to access your keyboard. Don't use your keyboard as a letter or pencil rack.

·      Try different arrangements of keyboard, screen, mouse and documents to find the best arrangement for you.  A document holder may help you avoid awkward neck and eye movements.

·      Arrange your desk and VDU to avoid glare, or bright reflections on the screen.  This will be easiest if neither you nor the screen is directly facing windows or bright lights.  Adjust curtains or blinds to prevent unwanted light.

·      Make sure there is space under your desk to move your legs freely.  Move any obstacles such as boxes or equipment.

·      Avoid excess pressure from the edge of your seat on the backs of your legs and knees.  A footrest may be helpful, particularly for smaller users.

Keying in

·      Adjust your keyboard to get a good keying position.  A space in front of the keyboard is sometimes helpful for resting the hands and wrists when not keying.  It is also often useful to have a wrist rest immediately in front of the keyboard.  

·      Try to keep your wrists straight when keying.  Keep a soft touch on the keys and don't overstretch your fingers.  Good keyboard technique is important.

Using a mouse

·      Position the mouse within easy reach, so it can be used with the wrist straight.  Sit upright and close to the desk, so you don't have to work with your mouse arm stretched.  Move the keyboard out of the way if it is not being used.  

·      Support your forearm on the desk, and don't grip the mouse too tightly.  

·      Rest your fingers lightly on the buttons and do not press them hard.  

Reading the screen

·      Adjust the brightness and contrast controls on the screen to suit lighting conditions in the room.  

·      Make sure the screen surface is clean.  

·      In setting up software, choose options giving text that is large enough to read easily on your screen, when you are sitting in a normal, comfortable working position.  Select colours that are easy on the eye (avoid red text on a blue background, or vice-versa).  

·      Individual characters on the screen should be sharply focused and should not flicker or move.  If they do, the VDU may need servicing or adjustment.  

Posture and breaks

·       As far as it is comfortable it is important not to slouch, sit with the head up and the spine straight  

·       It should be possible to sit at a comfortable distance from the keyboard, in particular chair arms should be adjusted so that they can slide under desks  

·       Don't sit in the same position for long periods.  Make sure you change your posture as often as practicable.  

·       Some movement is desirable, but avoid repeated stretching to reach things you need (if this happens a lot, rearrange your workstation).  

·       Plan work so that regular breaks from keyboard acivity are taken (e.g. a change from keyboard to filing or photocopying).  The Regulations require breaks or changes of activity but do not specify their timing or length because the need for breaks depends on the nature and intensity of the work.  Aim for at least a 5 minute break every hour and don’t spend a whole day on computer-based activities. If you work on a computer at home, remember to fit in breaks there.  

·       Frequent short breaks are better than fewer long ones. 

·       Some work (e.g. checking for spelling errors) is better done with a printed draft rather than on screen.

Portable Computers

Laptops and other portable computers have to be compact enough to be easy to carry. This results in design compromises, like smaller keyboards and screens.  In addition the screens are attached to the keyboard, this often means the operator has to bend their spine when using the equipment.  It is best to avoid using portable computers for long periods when full-sized equipment is available.