Health ad Safety VDU workstatio checklist Workstatio locatio ad umber (if applicable):... User:... Checklist completed by:... Assessmet checked by:... Date of assessmet:... Ay further actio eeded:? / Follow up actio completed o:... This checklist ca be used as a aid to risk assessmet ad to help comply with the Schedule to the Health ad Safety (Display Scree Equipmet) Regulatios. Work through the checklist, tickig either the yes or o colum agaist each risk factor: Yes aswers require o further actio. No aswers will require ivestigatio ad/or remedial actio by the workstatio assessor. They should record their decisios i the Actio to take colum. Assessors should check later that actios have bee take ad have resolved the problem. Remember the checklist oly covers the workstatio ad work eviromet. You also eed to make sure that risks from other aspects of the work are avoided, for example by givig users health ad safety traiig, ad providig for breaks or chages of activity. Advice o these is give i the mai text of the guidace. VDU workstatio checklist Page 1 of 7
Health ad Safety RISK FACTORS Tick aswer THINGS TO CONSIDER ACTION TO TAKE 1 Display screes Are the characters clear ad readable? Health ad safety Make sure the scree is clea ad cleaig materials are made available. Check that text ad backgroud colours work well together. Health ad safety Is the text size comfortable to read? Is the image stable, ie free of flicker ad jitter? Is the scree s specificatio suitable for its iteded use? Are the brightess ad/or cotrast adjustable? Does the scree swivel ad tilt? Software settigs may eed adjustig to chage text size. Try usig differet scree colours to reduce flicker, eg darker backgroud ad lighter text. If problems still exist, get the set-up checked, eg by the equipmet supplier. For example, itesive graphic work or work requirig fie attetio to small details may require large display screes. Separate adjustmet cotrols are ot essetial, provided the user ca read the scree easily at all times. Swivel ad tilt eed ot be built i; you ca add a swivel ad tilt mechaism. However, you may eed to replace the scree if: swivel/tilt is abset or usatisfactory; work is itesive; ad/or the user has problems gettig the scree to a comfortable positio. Is the scree free from glare ad reflectios? Use a mirror placed i frot of the scree to check where reflectios are comig from. You might eed to move the scree or eve the desk ad/or shield the scree from the source of reflectios. Screes that use dark characters o a light backgroud are less proe to glare ad reflectios. Are adjustable widow coverigs provided ad i adequate coditio? Check that blids work. Blids with vertical slatsca be more suitable tha horizotal oes. If these measures do ot work, cosider ati-glare scree filters as a last resort ad seek specialist help. VDU workstatio checklist Page 2 of 7
Health ad Safety RISK FACTORS Tick aswer THINGS TO CONSIDER ACTION TO TAKE 2 Keyboards Is the keyboard separate from the scree? Does the keyboard tilt? Is it possible to fid a comfortable keyig positio? This is a requiremet, uless the task makes it impracticable (eg where there is a eed to use a portable). Tilt eed ot be built i. Try pushig the display scree further back to create more room for the keyboard, hads ad wrists. Users of thick, raised keyboards may eed a wrist rest. Does the user have good keyboard techique? Are the characters o the keys easily readable? Traiig ca be used to prevet: hads bet up at wrist; hittig the keys too hard; overstretchig the figers. Keyboards should be kept clea. If characters still ca t be read, the keyboard may eed modifyig or replacig. Use a keyboard with a matt fiish to reduce glare ad/or reflectio. VDU workstatio checklist Page 3 of 7
Health ad Safety RISK FACTORS Tick aswer THINGS TO CONSIDER ACTION TO TAKE 3 Mouse, trackball etc Is the device suitable for the tasks it is used for? Is the device positioed close to the user? If the user is havig problems, try a differet device. The mouse ad trackball are geeralpurpose devices suitable for may tasks, ad available i a variety of shapes ad sizes. Alterative devices such as touchscrees may be better for some tasks (but ca be worse for others). Most devices are best placed as close as possible, eg right beside the keyboard. Traiig may be eeded to: prevet arm overreachig; tell users ot to leave their had o the device whe it is ot beig used; ecourage a relaxed arm ad straight wrist. Is there support for the device user s wrist ad forearm? Does the device work smoothly at a speed that suits the user? Ca the user easily adjust software settigs for speed ad accuracy of poiter? Support ca be gaied from, for example, the desk surface or arm of a chair. If ot, a separate supportig device may help. The user should be able to fid a comfortable workig positio with the device. See if cleaig is required (eg of mouse ball ad rollers). Check the work surface is suitable. A mouse mat may be eeded. Users may eed traiig i how to adjust device settigs. Software Is the software suitable for the task? Software should help the user carry out the task, miimise stress ad be user-friedly. Check users have had appropriate traiig i usig the software. Software should respod quickly ad clearly to user iput, with adequate feedback, such as clear help messages. VDU workstatio checklist Page of 7
Health ad Safety RISK FACTORS Tick aswer THINGS TO CONSIDER ACTION TO TAKE 5 Furiture Is the work surface large eough for all the ecessary equipmet, papers etc? Create more room by movig priters, referece materials etc elsewhere. If ecessary, cosider providig ew power ad telecoms sockets, so equipmet ca be moved. There should be some scope for flexible rearragemet. Ca the user comfortably reach all the equipmet ad papers they eed to use? Rearrage equipmet, papers etc to brig frequetly used thigs withi easy reach. A documet holder may be eeded, positioed to miimise ucomfortable head ad eye movemets. Are surfaces free from glare ad reflectio? Is the chair suitable? Is the chair stable? Does the chair have a workig: seat back height ad tilt adjustmet? seat height adjustmet? swivel mechaism? castors or glides? Is the chair adjusted correctly? Cosider mats or blotters to reduce reflectios ad glare. The chair may eed repairig or replacig if the user is ucomfortable, or caot use the adjustmet mechaisms. The user should be able to carry out their work sittig comfortably. Cosider traiig the user i how to adopt suitable postures while workig. The arms of chairs ca stop the user gettig close eough to use the equipmet comfortably. Move ay obstructios from uder the desk. Is the small of the back supported by the chair s backrest? Are forearms horizotal ad eyes at roughly the same height as the top of the VDU? Are feet flat o the floor, without too much pressure from the seat o the backs of the legs? The user should have a straight back, supported by the chair, with relaxed shoulders. Adjust the chair height to get the user s arms i the right positio, the adjust the VDU height, if ecessary. If ot, a foot rest may be eeded. VDU workstatio checklist Page 5 of 7
Health ad Safety RISK FACTORS Tick aswer THINGS TO CONSIDER ACTION TO TAKE 6 Eviromet Is there eough room to chage positio ad vary movemet? Is the lightig suitable, eg ot too bright or too dim to work comfortably? Space is eeded to move, stretch ad fidget. Cosider reorgaisig the office layout ad check for obstructios. Cables should be tidy ad ot a trip or sag hazard. Users should be able to cotrol light levels, eg by adjustig widow blids or light switches. Cosider shadig or repositioig light sources or providig local lightig, eg desk lamps (but make sure lights do t cause glare by reflectig off walls or other surfaces). Does the air feel comfortable? VDUs ad other equipmet may dry the air. Circulate fresh air if possible. Plats may help. Are levels of heat comfortable? Are levels of oise comfortable? Cosider a humidifier if discomfort is severe. Ca heatig be better cotrolled? More vetilatio or air-coditioig may be required if there is a lot of electroic equipmet i the room. Or, ca users be moved away from the heat source? Cosider movig sources of oise, eg priters, away from the user. If ot, cosider soudproofig. 7 Fial questios to users... Ask if the checklist has covered all the problems they may have workig with their VDU. Ask if they have experieced ay discomfort or other symptoms which they attribute to workig with their VDU. Ask if the user has bee advised of their etitlemet to eye ad eyesight testig. Ask if the user takes regular breaks workig away from VDUs. Write the details of ay problems here: VDU workstatio checklist Page 6 of 7
Health ad Safety Further iformatio HSE priced ad free publicatios ca be viewed olie or ordered from www.hse.gov.uk or cotact HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 2WA Tel: 0177 1165 Fax: 0177 313995. HSE priced publicatios are also available from bookshops. For iformatio about health ad safety rig HSE s Ifolie Tel: 05 35 0055 Fax: 05 0 9566 Textphoe: 05 0 9577 e-mail: hse.ifolie@atbrit.com or write to HSE Iformatio Services, Caerphilly Busiess Park, Caerphilly CF3 3GG. Published by HSE 09/09 Page 7 of 7