Display screen equipment awareness FAQs

DSE stands for Display Screen Equipment. It refers to any device with a screen used for work, such as computers, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and touchscreens.

Please read our article, What is DSE and how to work safely with display screen equipment.

Display screen equipment includes any screen used for work, so it applies in many settings such as:

• Home working
• Retail and warehouses
• Vehicles (e.g. onboard screens)
• Healthcare
• Education
• Construction and manufacturing

DSE is used in a variety of environments and not just offices.

A DSE user is someone who uses display screen equipment as a significant part of their normal work.

Under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, a DSE user is a worker who:

• Uses DSE daily or for long periods
• Has little choice over using it
• Is required to use it to do their job

DSE users are entitled to a workstation assessment, eye test if needed, and suitable training.

The main risks of using display screen equipment (DSE) come from poor workstation setup, prolonged sitting, and repetitive activity. The most common risks are:

• Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) – back pain, neck and shoulder tension, and wrist/arm injuries (e.g. RSI) caused by poor posture and repetitive movements.
• Eye strain and visual fatigue – dry eyes, headaches and blurred vision from prolonged screen use and poor lighting.
• Fatigue and reduced concentration – caused by long periods of uninterrupted screen work.
• Stress – linked to high workload, lack of breaks, and poorly designed workstations.

These risks are well recognised by the Health and Safety Executive, which is why employers must assess and control DSE risks under UK law.

The HSE leaflet Working with VDUs (visual display units, now called DSE) notes that “a few people have experienced irritation, rashes or other skin problems when working with a VDU”, that the exact cause is not known, and that problems may be linked to things like dry air or electrostatic fields on older screens, with symptoms typically disappearing overnight or at weekends.

Poor DSE health and safety practices are behaviours or conditions that increase the risk of injury, eye strain and fatigue when using screen-based equipment. Common examples include:

• Poor posture – slouching, leaning forward, or working with a twisted neck or back.
• Incorrect screen setup – screen too low/high, too close/far away, or excessive glare.
• Unsuitable chair or desk – no lumbar support, wrong height, or limited adjustability.
• Keyboard and mouse positioned badly – causing overreaching or wrist strain.
• Working without breaks – long, uninterrupted periods at the screen.
• Poor lighting – glare, reflections, or insufficient lighting.
• No DSE assessment carried out – risks not identified or corrected.
• Lack of training – staff not shown how to set up their workstation correctly.

These poor practices are a common cause of musculoskeletal disorders, eye strain, fatigue and stress.

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 set out employers’ legal duties to protect workers who use screens as part of their job.

They require employers to:

• Assess DSE workstations
• Reduce health risks (such as eye strain and musculoskeletal problems)
• Provide eye tests where required
• Ensure suitable equipment, breaks, and training for DSE users.

Please read our guide, What are the Display Screen Equipment Regulations (1992)?

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 require employers to protect workers who use computers, laptops and other screen-based equipment as a significant part of their job. In practice, this means employers must:

• Assess workstation risks – carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of each DSE user’s workstation to identify health and safety risks.
• Reduce identified risks – take steps to remove or control risks, such as adjusting equipment, layout, lighting, or workload.
• Provide suitable equipment – ensure screens, chairs, desks, keyboards and accessories meet minimum ergonomic standards.
• Plan breaks or changes of activity – so users do not work continuously at a screen for long periods.
• Provide eye and eyesight tests – on request and supply basic corrective appliances (glasses) if required specifically for DSE work.
• Give information and training – on safe DSE use, posture, adjustments, and recognising early signs of problems.
• Review assessments – when there are significant changes to the workstation, equipment, user, or work activity.

The aim is to prevent or reduce musculoskeletal disorders, eye strain, fatigue and stress associated with prolonged screen use.

A DSE risk assessment is a legal check of a workstation to identify and reduce health risks linked to using screens, such as computers, laptops and tablets.

Under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, employers must carry out a “suitable and sufficient analysis” of each DSE user’s workstation. This means looking at:

• Screen, keyboard, mouse, chair and desk setup
• Posture and seating position
• Lighting, glare and reflections
• Working patterns and breaks

The aim is to prevent problems such as back and neck pain, RSI, eye strain, fatigue and stress.

For more information, read our article, What is a DSE assessment?

Yes, DSE assessments are a legal requirement.

The duty comes from Regulation 2(1) of the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, which states:

“Every employer shall perform a suitable and sufficient analysis of those workstations which … are used for the purposes of his undertaking by users …”

That “suitable and sufficient analysis” of each user’s workstation is the DSE workstation assessment in practice.

A DSE assessment is required for anyone who is classed as a “DSE user” under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992. This applies to employees who use a computer, laptop or other screen as a significant part of their day-today work, or for long periods.

DSE users include office staff, administrators, call handlers and home workers, as well as less obvious roles such as receptionists, designers, warehouse staff using terminals, teachers using interactive screens, and managers who work extensively on laptops.

The first step of a DSE assessment is to identify who qualifies as a “DSE user” — someone who habitually uses display-screen equipment for work. Once those users are identified, their workstations must be analysed.

A DSE assessment covers the full workstation setup and how the person works, including the screen, keyboard, mouse, chair and desk, posture and seating position, lighting, glare and reflections, space, temperature, and how long the equipment is used for without breaks.

An assessment also considers any individual needs, such as pregnancy, disabilities or existing musculoskeletal problems. The aim is to identify and reduce risks such as back and neck pain, RSI, eye strain and fatigue, in line with guidance from the Health and Safety Executive.

The official guidance from the Health and Safety Executive says a DSE assessment must be reviewed when “the user or DSE changes.”

That means a fresh assessment is required if a worker changes workstation or equipment, starts a new job, moves to home working, or reports discomfort. There is no fixed frequency defined in the law.

DSE training is instruction given to employees on how to use display screen equipment safely, including how to set up their workstation, maintain good posture, take effective breaks, and reduce the risk of back and neck pain, RSI, eye strain and fatigue.

This is a legal requirement under Regulation 6 of the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, which states that employers must ensure DSE users are provided with adequate health and safety training on the workstations they use.

The main benefit of regular DSE training refreshers is that they reinforce healthy workstation habits and keep risk awareness high, helping to prevent back and neck pain, RSI, eye strain and fatigue.

Refreshers also ensure staff remain compliant as work practices change, such as increased home or hybrid working, and help employers meet their ongoing duties under the Health and Safety Executive guidance and the DSE regulations.

For more information, please read our article, Six reasons why refresher training is important.

The most important factor when using DSE is good posture and workstation setup. Making sure the screen, chair, desk, keyboard and mouse are correctly adjusted to the user reduces the risk of back and neck pain, RSI, and eye strain.

There is no legal maximum daily time limit for using DSE. Instead, the Health and Safety Executive requires that DSE work is periodically interrupted with breaks or changes of activity, and advises that short, frequent breaks are better than longer, infrequent ones.

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 do not specify how many castors a chair should have. Instead, the legal requirement is set out in the Schedule (Minimum Requirements for Workstations), which states that a DSE chair must be:

“…stable and allow the user easy freedom of movement and a comfortable position.”

It also requires the seat height and backrest to be adjustable. A five-castor base is therefore best practice for stability, but it is not a specific legal requirement.

A DSE eye test is an eye and eyesight test provided for employees who use display screen equipment to check whether their vision is suitable for screen work and whether corrective lenses are needed.

Under Regulation 5 of the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, employers must provide eye and eyesight tests on request. The Health and Safety Executive guidance in Working with display screen equipment (DSE) makes the funding duty explicit:

“If a user or a potential user requests an eye test you are required to provide one. If the test shows that the user needs glasses specifically for DSE work, you must pay for a basic pair of frames and lenses.”
This means employers must pay for the test and basic DSE glasses where they are needed specifically for screen work.

DSE glasses are special prescription glasses provided for screen work to help users see their display clearly and reduce eye strain, headaches and visual fatigue.

There is no fixed legal amount that employers must pay for DSE glasses. Under Health and Safety Executive guidance, employers only have to pay for a basic pair of glasses that are suitable specifically for DSE work.

If an employee chooses a more expensive frame or lenses, they can be required to pay the difference themselves.

Please read our article, DSE glasses and eye tests for employees – does my employer have to pay?

A DSE self-assessment is a process where employees review their own workstations against ergonomic and safety standards. It helps identify issues and allows employers to take corrective action where necessary.