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Standards

Responsibility: The responsible person (Head of School or Service) retains overall responsibility.


Standard Roles
C1 - Governance
>> Ensure effective governance on work involving DSE
Deans

Directors

Heads of service groups
>> Allocate resources (time and money) for the heads of schools and services, and safety personnel to carry out their duties

 

 
C2 - Health and safety management
Faculties, schools and services are responsible for DSE safety management in their areas. This should include:
 Deans

Directors

Heads of schools and services
>> Providing adequate time and resources to effectively manage DSE safety in the school or service.
>> Releasing staff to attend and provide DSE safety training.
>> Appointing sufficient staff to provide and attend DSE training and conduct risk assessments on workstations.
>> Allocating adequate time for trained staff to carry out their duties, and monitor they are fulfilling their duties.
   
C3 - Employees, research staff and students
Must be made aware of the responsibility to look after their own safety and that of others, and not misuse or interfere with any DSE or workstation equipment. Line managers

Safety managers

Safety officers

Staff

Students
Must be made aware of the requirement to adjust DSE (eg. the chair and screen) to suit the needs of the individual.
Must raise any issues regarding the use of DSE with their line manager or local health and safety personnel.
   
C4 - Procedures, information and training
Staff appointed to carry out DSE / VDU risk assessments should be suitably trained and familiar with the main requirements of the regulations. They should be able to:
 Safety managers

Safety officers

Other staff trained

Staff

Students
>> Assess risks arising from the workstation, and the type of display screen work being done.
>> Use and interpret additional sources of information on risk.
>> Construct a clear record of the risk assessment and make the findings available to those who will need to take appropriate action.
Staff and postgraduate students to receive DSE training as part of an induction process, including the use of software (ease of use and suitability) as appropriate.
   
C5 - Risk assessment
If DSE is used for 1 hour continuously or for 1½ hours in total over the working day then a risk assessment must be conducted on the workstation. This also applies to part time workers.

Download RSE risk assessment form here.
 Safety managers

Safety officers

Other staff trained
Risk assessments can be conducted by local health and safety personnel, line managers or other nominated personnel trained for this purpose.
Risks identified in the assessment should be remedied as quickly as possible.
DSE risk assessments should be recorded, and reviewed either:
>> Every two years
>> Or when there has been some significant change to the workstation
>> Or in the individual’s circumstances or ability to use it.
   
C6 - Exposure and health surveillance
Staff who are required to use DSE as part of their duties and are deemed to be a “user” will be provided with an appropriate eyesight test upon request, and on completion of an eye test request form and risk assessment Occupational health

Safety managers

Safety officers

Other staff trained
If an individual identifies a problem associated with the use of DSE, such as musculoskeletal problems, aches and pains, or has a pre-existing medical condition that may affect their ability to use DSE, then referral to the occupational health service must be considered.
   
C7 - Health and safety assistance, competent people and supervision
Provision should be made for sufficient numbers of trained DSE Assessors - See C4. Deans

Directors

Heads of schools and services

Health and safety managers

Safety officers
Health and safety services will provide specialist advice and training when undertaking work involving DSE if required.
   
C8 - Design, commissioning and installation
DSE such as chairs and workstations must be set up according to the requirements of the individual. Health and safety managers

Estate Services

Safety officers

Staff

Students
Refurbishment of buildings must be authorised by Estate Services, who will consult appropriately with University health and safety advisors.
   
C9 - Statutory inspection and examination
Not applicable.
   
C10 - Provision of equipment and maintenance
Equipment must be tested both electrically and visually before use, and periodically after that as determined by local procedures. Dean

Head of schools / services
Any faults with DSE, either hardware or software, must be reported to the appropriate service as determined by local procedures.
   
C11 - Personal protective equipment
Not applicable.
   
C12 - Cooperation between employers
Staff working for an employer who is not the University of Leeds, including agency staff, must be treated as if they were employed directly by the University. Deans

Directors

Heads of schools and services
As such these users must be provided with adequate DSE information, access to DSE risk assessments, breaks in activity and training when a workstation has been modified.
Two exceptions are covered by the regulations:
>> Their own employer is responsible for the initial health and safety training with respect to DSE.
>> Their own employer must provide eye and eyesight tests and any corrective appliances (normally spectacles).

   
C13 - Emergency planning, contingency plans and emergency actions
Not applicable
   
C14 - Environmental management and waste disposal
DSE and associated electrical equipment must be disposed of according to the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2006 (WEEE), and advice issued by the head of the University’s cleaning services, and managed by local procedures. Dean

Head of schools / services

Head of cleaning services
   
C15 - Security and safekeeping
Security of DSE including laptops must be determined and secured appropriately.
Information stored electronically must be held in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
   
C16 - Dangerous substances and COSHH
Not applicable
   
C17 - Reporting mechanism
Staff who suffer ill health problems such as work-related upper limb disorders as a result of their use of DSE must report directly to their line managers. They should also consider notifiying the occupational health service. Health and safety advisors

Line managers

Safety managers

Safety officers

Staff

Occupational health
Chronic ill health problems due to working with DSEs and diagnosed by a physician must be reported on Sentinel, the University of Leeds’ accident and incident reporting system. Absence from work for over three days as the result of a work related incident is notifiable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurances Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR).