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Working safely with display screen equipment

1. Overview

As an employer, you must protect your workers from the health risks of working with display screen equipment (DSE), such as PCs, laptops, tablets and smartphones.

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations apply to workers who use DSE daily, for continuous periods of an hour or more. We describe these workers as 'DSE users'. The regulations don't apply to workers who use DSE infrequently or only use it for a short time.

How to protect workers' health

In law, employers must:

Incorrect use of DSE or poorly designed workstations or work environments can lead to pain in necks, shoulders, backs, arms, wrists and hands as well as fatigue and eye strain. The causes may not always be obvious.

The law applies if users are, for example:

  • at a fixed workstation
  • mobile workers
  • home workers[9]
  • hot-desking (workers should carry out a basic risk assessment if they change desks regularly)

More DSE guidance

HSE's leaflet Working with display screen equipment[10] gives more information about how to comply with the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations.

You can find detailed advice on the regulations in Work with display screen equipment[11].

Advice on using DSE if you're pregnant[12] or have epilepsy[13] is available.

Link URLs in this page

  1. Workstations and assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/assessment.htm
  2. Work routine and breakshttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/work-routine.htm
  3. Eyes and eyesight testinghttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/eye-tests.htm
  4. Training and informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/training-information.htm
  5. DSE workstation assessmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/assessment.htm
  6. take breaks from DSE workhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/eye-tests.htm
  7. eye testhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/eye-tests.htm
  8. provide training and informationhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/training-information.htm
  9. home workershttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/home-working.htm
  10. Working with display screen equipmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg36.htm
  11. Work with display screen equipmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l26.htm
  12. pregnanthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/pregnant-or-epilepsy.htm
  13. epilepsyhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/pregnant-or-epilepsy.htm
  14. Next page Workstations and assessment https://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/dse/assessment.htm
  15. View a printable version of the whole guidehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/print.htm
  16. Working with DSE leaflethttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg36.htm
  17. Work with DSE legal guidancehttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l26.htm
  18. DSE workstation checklisthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ck1.htm
  19. Home working – Work safely with display screen equipmenthttps://www.hse.gov.uk/MSd/dse/home-working.htm
  20. Good posture when using DSEhttps://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/dse/good-posture.htm
  21. CIEHF mobile working guidancehttps://www.ergonomics.org.uk/Public/Resources/Publications/Mobile_Working.aspx

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Updated:2024-03-25