DSE Assessments for Remote Workers in Ireland: What Are Employers Legally Obliged to Do?
Although people have worked remotely in Ireland for many years, there has been a huge increase since the COVID-19 pandemic, and many employees now spend all or part of their week working from home or in a remote location.
The explosion of remote working has had many benefits for employers, including reduced overheads and increased productivity, but there are also some inevitable complications when team members are working from home, and these include the legal obligations of employers to safeguard the health of their employees. If employees are using display screen equipment (DSE) at home, for instance, how can employers ensure that their working practices are safely managed?
An employer still has legal responsibilities where employees work remotely, and health and safety legislation in Ireland requires that risks are assessed in the same way as they would be for office workers. Let’s take a look at what this means for employers working with remote employees, and how the risks of using DSE can be controlled in remote environments.
What is a DSE Assessment?
There are health and safety regulations that all employers in Ireland must follow to safeguard the health and wellbeing of their employees at work, and this includes working safely with display screen equipment. These regulations apply equally to remote workers.
Workers who use display screen equipment (DSE) continuously for an hour or more in their daily work, whether remotely or in the office, should be assessed by their employers.
This assessment should consider the following:
- The workstation, including equipment, furniture and working conditions
- The job or type of work being carried out
- Any special requirements for individual staff members, including any disabilities, for instance.
This assessment should identify any risks to the health of the employee, and take steps to reduce them wherever possible.
The DSE Workstation Checklist
The DSE workstation checklist should be used by employers in order to ensure that they are compliant with the relevant health and safety regulations in Ireland. The checklist covers several areas to consider, including the keyboard, mouse, display screen, software and furniture, as well as the working environment.
The checklist includes:
Keyboard. Assessment questions referring to keyboards include whether the keyboard is separate from the screen, which is a requirement in most cases, and whether it tilts, which is not compulsory. The position required for typing must be comfortable, so it may be necessary to push the display screen further back or to use a wrist rest. The way in which each employee uses the keyboard should be assessed to ensure the hands are not bent at the wrists and that the fingers are not overstretching, and to ensure that the keys are not being struck too hard. The final recommendation is that the keyboard is checked for legibility and kept clean to ensure characters can be read.
Mouse. The computer mouse or trackball should be suitable for the specific tasks the employee is carrying out, and should be the appropriate shape and size. The distance from the user should be checked to ensure it is as close as possible to prevent overreaching and encourage relaxed arm and wrist muscles. There should be support available for the user’s wrist and forearm, and the device should work smoothly and be kept clean for optimal efficiency. Training should be provided if required to ensure that users can make necessary adjustments to their settings.
Display screens. The display screen assessment is predominantly to ensure readability, making adjustments to the text size and background colours to make readers more comfortable. The image should be stable and not flickering, and the screen should be the correct specification for the intended use. If a screen is used for graphic work, for instance, a large screen display may be required. Brightness and contrast should be fully adjustable to suit user preferences, and the screen should be able to swivel and tilt, whether this is a built-in function or added. It is important to ensure that the display screen is free from glare and reflections, and that blinds on nearby windows are effective to protect the eyes. An anti-glare filter may be useful, or it may help to move the screen or even relocate the desk to avoid reflections and glare.
Software. Software assessments should ensure that users have had appropriate training and are using the correct software for their tasks.
Furniture. Assessing the furniture in the workspace means ensuring that there is plenty of room for movement, adequate space for equipment and power supplies, and that chairs are comfortable and adjustable to individual users. This is especially relevant for remote workers, who may need support in finding a comfortable and ergonomically designed chair, for instance.
Environment. An effective assessment will ensure that there is adequate room to move, and that lighting is suitable for the environment, as well as temperature levels in the working area and acceptable levels of noise.
All of the above are applicable to remote workers, although there will be some flexibility in their application for home workers, due to practical considerations. Employees may not simply assess their own working conditions; an assessment must be carried out by the employer, although this may be a remote assessment if the process is comprehensive.
After Assessment
When a DSE assessment has been carried out, recommendations will be made to mitigate the risks highlighted, and this may include further training for the employee as well as making adjustments to the equipment or the working area. Assessments should be documented, recording the steps taken to improve working conditions.
Assessments should be repeated regularly, including whenever working conditions change, and this includes workers who move the location of their workstation at home. An assessment must also be carried out if an employee reports pain or discomfort.
Professional Health and Safety Training in Ireland
At ASM, we know that the regulations regarding remote employees can be complex, and we can help you to set up good practice within your organisation to support your team and ensure compliance. We offer DSE and VDU assessments and training to enable employers to fulfil this responsibility and support employees in their remote and hybrid roles. Give us a call to discuss the best approach for your team.
