| In this day and age of compensation claims for | | | | Safety requirements and are quite simple to |
| even the most minor strains and accidents it pays | | | | practice. There are recommended guidelines for |
| all employers to comply with Health and Safety | | | | the angle of a VDU, the positioning of a keyboard, |
| regulations to cover themselves as well as their | | | | mouse, desk and chair. All should be set up for |
| employees. The Health and Safety Executive | | | | the individual employee to ensure comfortable |
| regulations have, for a number of years now, | | | | working positions. |
| made it a legal requirement for all employers to | | | | Employers are liable for the cost of sight tests |
| assess and reduce the risk to staff in the | | | | for VDU operators when requested but there is |
| workplace. | | | | no evidence that, when used properly, a VDU |
| Some employers, pressed for time as well as | | | | screen would cause any health problems. Only |
| money, find this a problem. Whole work days are | | | | when there is unnecessary glare, bad posture or |
| sometimes lost, venues need to be booked and | | | | a wrongly positioned unit does a problem occur. |
| paid for and transport provided. All this comes at | | | | There is certainly no evidence to suggest there is |
| the expense of the employer but surely cannot | | | | any worsening of eyesight from use of a VDU. |
| be as costly as the amount of sick days taken in | | | | So, employees do not want to be injured at work |
| the name of work related health problems. | | | | and employers do not want to spend man hours |
| Figures from the Health and Safety Executive for | | | | and hard earned profits on Health and Safety |
| 2003/04 show that 448,000 British workers were | | | | Training. However, there is a solution. It is now |
| reported to have suffered from work related | | | | possible to train all employers and their staff in all |
| musculo-skeletal disorders (the umbrella term for | | | | Health and Safety aspects without ever having to |
| Repetitive Strain Injury). This was a staggering | | | | leave their badly positioned, overly bright VDU or |
| increase of 52,000 from the previous year. | | | | their wonky chair. |
| Direct and indirect costs to society amounted to | | | | It is now possible to meet all the legal |
| a phenomenal 5.7 pounds billion in the year 2004 | | | | requirements of Health and Safety Training on line. |
| 5. The Health and Safety Executive attributes this | | | | It is called Health and Safety e-learning. Risk |
| to the 450,000 cases of workers absent through | | | | assessments are set out for employers and |
| back complaints and 375,000 through back and | | | | employees can set their own agenda for DSE |
| upper limb disorders. Amazingly, they even report | | | | training thus reducing impact on work schedules. |
| seven year old children to be suffering RSI | | | | Training can be completed over time at a pace |
| complaints so schools also need to implement the | | | | that suits the individual and training certificates can |
| regulations. | | | | be printed out at the conclusion. |
| Repetitive Strain Injury is a common occurrence | | | | This solution is cost effective, requiring minimal |
| in offices where staff spend the majority of their | | | | resources and a Learning Development Advisor is |
| day sat in front of a VDU, or DSE. Display Screen | | | | assigned to the company involved to keep track |
| Equipment is a broader term for VDU and covers | | | | of the training. It is also recommended that |
| all the equipment at a desk including keyboard and | | | | results be saved to a database to establish an |
| mouse, which have been the cause of Carpal | | | | audit trail and prove your company's compliance |
| Tunnel Syndrome when used incorrectly. | | | | with Health and Safety Regulations. |
| DSE Risk Assessment and Training are Health and | | | | |