Workstation assessments: complying with the law and improving the health of your staff
Are you an Employer, HR Director or Office Manager?
Read on to find out how we helped a City PR company:
- comply with the law relating to Health and Safety at work
- improve working conditions for their office workers
- and improve the health of their staff by reducing work related aches and pains and absenteeism
Complying with DSE Regulations
Do you have employees who have continuous spells working at their computer for an hour or more on a more or less daily basis?
If so do you know that you have a legal responsibility to make sure they know the risks to their health and how to minimise them?
Office workers typically spend an average of 60% of their time at their desks!
Your duties come under the European Health and Safety Legislation and in particular the Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 (amended 2002).
If you are unaware of your responsibilities – don’t worry as we can help you comply with all aspects of this law.
What are the potential risks to health?
sore neck
The most common work related aches and pains affect the neck, arms and spine.
The factors that make this more likely are:
- Sitting in a prolonged, static position
- Placing your joints in awkward postures
- Carrying out highly repetitive movements like using a mouse or typing
- The stress of workplace demands
- Poor working habits
- Poor general health and fitness
- Using an unsuitable chair for your size and shape
- Not having your desk, chair and computer set up correctly
How we helped a City PR company with their workplace health
Diana Wilson, our Ergonomics Physiotherapist, visited the offices of a PR company in the City to carry out Workstation Assessments on their office workers.
For those with no current work related aches and pains Diana carried out a Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Assessment.
This involved showing each staff member the correct set up for their desk, chair and computer.
Where possible she juggled different chairs between staff to find the best fit for each person. Where this was not possible she sourced the correct new chair.
She taught the staff how they should be sitting correctly and sourced any accessories that were needed like a footrest for those whose feet couldn’t reach the floor or a document holder for those frequently referring to notes. She gave each staff member a summary report of her findings and recommendations.
For those staff with existing work related aches and pains she carried out a more Detailed Workstation Assessment.
This involved analysing and identifying why a particular individual was suffering with pain and making changes to their workstation setup or posture to prevent symptoms occurring. A full detailed report was provided with recommendations and solutions.
Lastly she educated the office workers on the importance of frequent, short breaks, showed them simple exercises they could do to help prevent pain and talked to them about their general health and how keeping fit can help them stay healthy at work.
Testimonial from the HR Director
This is what the HR Director of that PR company said about the service we provided:
“Diana Wilson of Physio on the River attended our office recently to carry out a series of Workstation assessments, including one for a pregnant employee.
She is friendly, professional and approachable and the quality of her workstation assessment reports and recommendations were very high. Most importantly, our employees commented on how helpful and supportive Diana was on giving advice on the optimal workstation set up for them.
Feedback from Diana’s visit was so good that we have her booked in for another two days of workstation assessments later in the year.
It follows from the above that I recommend her highly.
Yours sincerely
Ann Marie
HR Director”
If you would like to book Workstation assessments for your staff or chat to Diana about what is involved call us on 020 8876 5690 or click here to email your enquiry.
If you have found this blog useful and would like to see other blogs about good health at work, click on the following links:
Do you have good working habits?
Which workstations accessories could help you enjoy a more comfortable working day?
