Legislative Changes in 2022: Display Screens and Other Equipment Used for Homeworking
In our series of Legislation Changes in 2022 blogs by our Kickstart Marketing Assistant, Joanna, we’ll look at how legislative changes planned for this year could impact your business. Whilst many of us may be hoping for “business as usual” at some point this year, we also need to consider the legislative changes planned for 2022 and where you may need to make changes to how you conduct your business.
Display Screen Equipment (DSE) and Homeworking
Poorly designed workstations can lead to minor or even major injuries, and you, the employer, could be liable to pay claims if you don't provide staff with risk assessments.
It can be easy to forget about DSE safety as digital technology is so engrained into our day-to-day lives, but this makes DSE risk assessments even more pivotal. Despite many businesses still working from home, many are now back in the office or working on a hybrid basis, so you need to ensure your employees have completed DSE risk assessments.
During the pandemic, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) advised that, although workstation assessments were still recommended for those working remotely or from home temporarily, they were not required.
However, with more people returning to the workplace or working on a hybrid basis, employers are now required to ensure DSE and office risk assessments are carried out on all workstations, regardless of the circumstances.
Health Risks and Office Equipment
As jobs increasingly require the use of technology such as computers and monitors, complaints concerning health and safety in regards to office equipment and display screens are rising. Allan McDougall Solicitors state on their website that they are seeing an increasing number of clients complain about back strain and musculoskeletal injuries resulting from poor desk setup.
You can protect your employees’ health and safety by:
Ensuring chairs are adjustable
Encouraging staff to take short breaks from the screen each hour, as advised by the HSE
Now that most employees have returned to the office, you may have asked staff to bring back any office equipment, PCs, chairs, and other equipment they used at home. This equipment will need checking for any damage and to ensure it is still fit for purpose.
Whether returned to the office, remaining in use at home, or being used remotely, you must ensure that PAT testing of all electrical equipment in use is up to date.
For company security, electronic equipment should be stripped of any personal use, and all security programs, firewalls, and virus checks should be up to date.
Further Guidance
See Display Screen Equipment (DSE) in the H&S A-Z for further guidance on setting up a workstation away from the office and for a DSE Risk Assessment template.
Take a look at our other blogs in the series about:
