Pretty well any time you buy new business equipment, you
need to produce a new risk assessment. Work stations, which comprise equipment
such as desks, chairs, monitors and other display screens, are no exception.
Changes in Screen Technology
Display screen equipment has seen exceptional technological
development in recent years. Gone are the fat, bulky monitors that used to
adorn our desks and take up so much space. Flat screens are the norm, and even
these can mean change of posture for the users or more strain on the eyes
because the screen is further back on the desk.
Stand-up desks have also been recommended by Public Health England, because it’s not so
good for people to sit at a desk for a whole day, as many workers have been
used to doing. Desks can be at variable heights these days, and how they should
be used is important for your well-being and productivity, and that of your
staff.
In some fields it’s
common to have wide format screens, with a number of applications on show at
the same time. Similarly, people can work with multiple screens, but they have
to be further from them so they can see everything without having to keep
turning around. How might that affect the eyes, or put greater strain on the
neck or back?
Changes in Communication
Technology
Laptops are also a
feature of the modern office, but they can be much more difficult to use
comfortably over long periods of time. Your risk assessments will need to cover
how to mitigate the problems with connected keyboards and mice; you can even connect
a larger separate display screen if it helps.
Do you allow your
staff to bring their own devices to use at work? Perhaps you supply them with a
mobile or a tablet for personal as well as business use. When you use a touch
screen device, you are just as much at risk of repetitive strain injury as
anyone using a keyboard.
If your risk
assessments don’t take all these eventualities on board, it’s high time to
review and update them. If you need help for this, your local bookkeepers may
be able to assist, or point you towards appropriate professional help.
