DSE Assessments: The Essential Guide for Modern Workspaces

The digital revolution means that more of us rely on screens for our work than ever before. While that can be a good thing - it allows us to work quickly and efficiently - it can also impact the health, wellbeing and morale of workers.

Sitting for long hours in front of any type of screen, whether it’s a computer, tablet, interactive whiteboard or handheld device, puts a strain on our bodies and can potentially lead to chronic diseases. That’s why employers with more than five employees who use screens continuously for more than one hour a day must conduct a display screen equipment (DSE) assessment.

Here we explain what a DSE risk assessment is and provide straightforward guidance to help you conduct your own.

What is a DSE Assessment and Why Does it Matter?

A display screen equipment assessment, commonly known as a DSE assessment, is a workstation analysis that explores the risks workers face when using display screen equipment. The aim is to ensure they have the correct setup to work safely and comfortably. 

The Health and Safety Regulations 1992 dictates that all employers with over five employees must legally conduct a DSE assessment for workers who regularly use display screen equipment. In this context, ‘regularly’ is anyone who uses an electronic device with a screen continuously for at least an hour each day.

How often should you carry out a DSE assessment?

According to Health and Safety Executive guidance, you should conduct a DSE assessment when:

• You set up a new workstation
• A new employee starts work
• A substantial change is made to an existing workstation or the way it’s used
• There’s a change in a worker’s physical circumstances - such as pregnancy or an injury

If there are no changes to a workstation or an employee’s circumstances, most companies typically conduct DSE assessments every one or two years. 

Should you perform DSE assessments for remote workers?

Rather than desks in an office, some remote and hybrid workers are now using kitchen tables, sofas and even beds as their workstations, and that brings additional risks. 

If you have employees who work from home on a permanent or long-term basis or routinely split their time between homeworking and the office (hybrid working), you must conduct a DSE assessment. You don’t have to visit them at home to conduct an assessment unless you decide there’s a need to do so. Instead, you can give them access to a DSE workstation checklist so they can perform a self-assessment. You should also carry out DSE assessments for workers who are hot desking.

Importantly, remote and hybrid workers do not necessarily need office furniture and equipment at home to achieve a comfortable and sustainable posture, but you must still check that their equipment is suitable.

Benefits of Ensuring DSE Compliance in Your Office Space

In the last few years, particularly after the pandemic, the spotlight has fallen on employee wellbeing and for reasons that aren’t purely altruistic. Employees want to work for companies that take their wellbeing seriously, and employers themselves are seeing the ROI of wellbeing in terms of talent attraction and retention, increased productivity and a lower risk of illness (and therefore absenteeism). Such is the impact that many workspaces are now designed with wellbeing in mind.

DSE assessments tap into a similar set of benefits by showing that you care about employee wellbeing and putting the company in a positive light. Carrying out regular DSE risk assessments can also:

• Reduce absenteeism - Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) account for 27% of all days lost to workplace health. DSE assessments help you identify and correct workstation setups that can cause MSDs and reduce the days lost.
  
  
• Reduce back pain - Lower back pain is estimated to cost the UK economy around £12.3bn annually and represents a significant problem for many employers. Regular DSE assessments can help to eliminate awkward movements, constrained body positions and repetitive movements to reduce the rate of back pain and the associated costs.
  
  
• Increase productivity - A workstation that’s not set up correctly can cause discomfort and lead to physical and mental distractions. DSE assessments can reduce the likelihood of MSD-related conditions caused by painful or awkward working positions and boost productivity.
  
  
• Better morale - Taking the time to make sure your employees are comfortable and well looked after can make them happier, healthier and more engaged at work. Encouraging positive DSE behaviour can play an important part in creating the caring culture that many modern employees look for.

Key Components of a Comprehensive DSE Evaluation

It’s called a display screen equipment assessment, but that can be misleading. A DSE assessment is an assessment of the entire workstation. As well as checking that the screens themselves are working properly and are a good ergonomic fit, you must also check the keyboard, mouse, table and chair, as well as the lighting, ventilation and temperature around the workstation.

The key areas to check are:

• Is the PC monitor, laptop screen or any other electronic screen configured correctly? Is the brightness adequate and is it at the right height?
• Are the keyboard and mouse set up so the employee’s wrists are straight and comfortable when typing?
• Are the desk and chair at a suitable height? Does the chair encourage a good posture and do the employee’s feet touch the ground?
• Is there enough natural light so the employee can see the screen properly without having to strain their eyes?
• Is there enough space around the workstation so the employee can move about freely and easily change their posture?
• Is there enough space around the workstation for documents and all the other equipment the employee needs without impeding on their personal space?
• How long does an employee spend sitting at their workstation and how often do they get up to walk around?
• Is there excessive background noise or any other distractions in the work environment?
• Does the employee have any special requirements, such as a disability or health concern, and do you need to make adjustments?
• Does the employee have any questions they want to ask or issues around their workstation?

All these factors will help you uncover the risk elements each employee faces and the steps you can take to mitigate those issues.

Legal Implications of DSE Assessments

Employers are legally obliged to protect their workers from the health risks associated with display screen equipment. If your team uses electronic screens of any kind for more than an hour at a time every day, you must:

• Carry out workplace assessments
• Provide training and information to help employees minimise the risks associated with DSE work and adopt safe working practices
• Implement work routines that include breaks from DSE tasks
• Provide eye tests as required

If you don’t comply with the legal requirements, you could face enforcement notices and prosecution. You could also leave yourself open to a personal injury compensation claim if an employee sustains an injury due to defective display screen equipment or a poorly designed workstation.

You can use an external DSE assessor to help you comply with your legal duties. Alternatively, you can train someone in-house to identify the hazards and risks around display screen equipment and perform the risk assessments. They must have training that is assessed and regularly refreshed, and DSE assessor training courses are available online for as little as £20.

DIY DSE Assessments: Best Practices and Guidelines

If you want to perform your own DSE assessments, you’ll need a comprehensive DSE assessment template. They are available widely online and the checklist from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is an excellent resource. Once you have a good template, follow these simple steps to create a safer and healthier workplace for your employees:

1. Schedule a time for the assessment. You can carry them out individually or in a group setting.
   
   
2. Explain what the purpose of the assessment is, what will be involved and how it will help your employees.
   
   
3. Give your employees the opportunity to ask any questions before and after the assessment or about the use of display screen equipment in general.
   
   
4. For the first step of the assessment, ask the employee some questions to help you better understand their DSE use habits. For example:

• How long do they spend each day using display screen equipment?
• Do they take regular breaks and for how long?
• Do they experience aches, pains or discomfort after using DSE?
• Do they have back or neck pain?
• Do they feel comfortable when working with DSE?
• Do they feel that their workstation is set up properly for them?
  
  

1. Then work your way through the HSE DSE assessment checklist to identify the particular risks they face. The checklist also includes the type of changes you can make to reduce those risks.
   
   
2. Finally, provide employees with a copy of the completed checklist and discuss the things you can both do to improve their DSE setup and habits.

Tailoring DSE Assessments for Flexible Office Spaces

Flexible office spaces have a variety of layouts to allow different ways of working. For example, they may include hot desks and collaborative working areas where desk space can be shared by multiple workers.

In this type of space, you can provide training and information to employees to help them achieve a correct workstation setup themselves. You should also supply workstation equipment and furniture that is adjustable, comfortable and mobile.

Employees should know how to adjust their chairs and desks so that their wrists are straight and their elbows are at a 90-degree angle and use a monitor stand to raise or lower their screen to eye level. You should also make sure footrests, lumbar support cushions, headsets and ergonomically designed keyboards are readily available.

One simple solution is to require all staff to attend a workstation setup and self-assessment workshop. That will teach them the basics of how to set up their workstation correctly.

Find Your Perfect Workspace at Knight Frank

Whether you want dedicated desks or a more collaborative workspace for your team, we can help you find flexible office spaces that meet your particular needs.

Get in touch with our experts to discuss your requirements and we’ll match your business with comfortable, modern and healthy offices that help you get the best from your team. We can arrange viewings on your behalf, attend them with you and negotiate the best price. And what’s more, our service won’t cost you a penny.