What is a Visual Display Unit Risk Assessment?

A VDU Risk Assessment or commonly known as Display Screen Equipment Risk Assessments (DSE) are a legal requirement under the “2007 General Application Regulations”. This law states that the Employer is required to undertake Visual Display Unit (VDU) (DSE) Assessments on all computer workstations where an employee will spend longer than 1 hour per day.

Many employees suffer from back pain, neck pain, eyesight problems and stiffness from sitting at workstation over long periods of time. Trojan Safety Training carries out a risk assessment at each employee’s workstation. This assessment is an observation of the employee in their day-to-day work environment. The assessor and employee will complete a VDU risk assessment survey by looking at the workstation, the screen, the chair, position of the desk in relation to the windows and the lighting in the work. The assessor will also identify if the employee is or is not experiencing any pain or discomfort while using the equipment. (This will accommodate in meeting your legal duty to carry out health surveillance on your employees).

Ergonomic Risk Assessment Outcome

The assessor will put immediate plans in place with the employee to ensure optimum injury prevention at the workstation. Reports will be typed up for each workstation and signed by the employee stating the assessment has taken place and the hazards have been identified. These reports meet your legal requirements and prove crucial in the case of a civil action.