What is a DSE Assessment? Do I need to take one?

Posted 4 years ago

A DSE (Display Screen Equipment) assessment is vital for anyone who uses display screen equipment as part of their job. They are also commonly referred to as DSE Self-Assessments, Workstation assessments or VDU (Visual Display Unit) Assessments.

Why are they important?

DSE Assessments look at a number of things in your proximity and help you evaluate your current workstation layout. More specifically, they look at your keyboard, mouse, display screens, your furniture (IE chair and desk) and the environment around you.

It’s important to understand that completing a DSE assessment is not just a ‘tick box’ exercise. Messy workstations or workstations that are set up incorrectly can result in neck, shoulder, back and arm pains, not to mention fatigue and eyestrain; so it’s incredibly important that you take a DSE assessment and we recommend you do this at least once per year.

What constitutes as DSE?

Display Screen Equipment is essentially any screen that plays the role of displaying information, so it covers quite a lot of equipment. Some of the most common display screen equipment includes:

Display monitors
Laptops
Tablets
Smartphones

Surely I can get away without doing one? My workstation seems fine

Actually, you’d be wrong to assume that. They’re a legal requirement under the Health & Safety Regulations 1992 for anyone that uses DSE for one hour or more each day. As an employer, you must protect your employees from health risks and make sure your staff are completing their assessments.

iHasco’s DSE Assessment Tool

As part of our DSE Training, we include a free DSE Assessment tool that your learners can complete as part of their training. Our assessment consists of a set of questions and should take learners around 10 minutes to complete. If we spot a potential problem with your workstation, we’ll offer you some advice and there’s also a comments box for you to make additional notes relating to your answer. Issues are forwarded to training administrators who can quickly pull reports to identify, prioritise, and quickly resolve any problems.

Find out more about our DSE Assessment Tool below…