DSE Workstation Assessment

A DSE (Display Screen Equipment) workstation assessment — also known as a VDU assessment or screen assessment — is a structured examination of a worker's workstation to identify and reduce risks associated with prolonged display screen use. It is a legal requirement for UK employers under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992.

Who Qualifies as a DSE User?

Under the Regulations, a worker is classed as a DSE user if they use display screen equipment daily and for a continuous period of an hour or more. This includes:

• Office-based employees using computers, laptops, or tablets
• Home workers and remote workers using DSE regularly
• Hybrid workers who use DSE at both home and office locations
• Workers who use DSE at a client's premises or any other location

What Does an Assessment Cover?

Our template covers every area required by the DSE Regulations and HSE guidance:

• Display screen — screen clarity, position, brightness, glare, and tilt
• Keyboard and mouse — positioning, comfort, and repetitive strain considerations
• Desk and workstation — surface space, document holders, and cable management
• Chair — adjustability, lumbar support, footrest requirements
• Environment — lighting, temperature, humidity, reflections, and noise
• Software and training — ease of use and training adequacy
• Overall risk rating and action plan — documenting findings and corrective steps

Our DSE assessment is professionally structured following the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 and HSE guidance for England and Wales.

Legal and Business Risks for Employers:

• HSE enforcement action: Failure to comply with the DSE Regulations can result in improvement notices, prohibition notices, and prosecution.
• Civil liability claims: Workers who develop work-related upper limb disorders (WRULD), repetitive strain injury (RSI), or eye strain may pursue compensation claims if no assessment was conducted.
• Musculoskeletal injury costs: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are among the most common causes of long-term sickness absence in the UK, representing significant costs for employers.
• Eye test obligations overlooked: The DSE Regulations entitle users to request eye and eyesight tests. Failure to provide these when requested is a breach of duty.
• Home worker exposure: Since COVID-19, millions of UK workers now work from home permanently or part-time. Many are using substandard setups — laptops on kitchen tables, poor seating, inadequate lighting — all of which must be assessed.
• Reasonable adjustments failures: Workers with health conditions affecting DSE use are entitled to reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. Without an assessment, these needs may go unidentified.
• Insurance and liability exposure: Employers' liability insurers may contest claims where no risk assessment records exist, leaving the business fully exposed.

A structured, documented DSE assessment is your evidence of compliance and due diligence — and it costs £10.

Complete Assessment Coverage:

• ✓ Assessment details — company name, reference, department, date, assessor, and review date
• ✓ User details — name, job title, daily DSE hours, break patterns, and health conditions
• ✓ Display screen checklist — screen clarity, tilt, brightness, glare, flicker, and viewing distance
• ✓ Keyboard assessment — positioning, wrist support, key action, and comfort
• ✓ Mouse and pointing device evaluation — positioning, control, and repetitive strain considerations
• ✓ Desk and workstation — surface area, document holders, telephone positioning, and cable management
• ✓ Chair assessment — seat height, back support, armrests, footrest requirements, and adjustability
• ✓ Environment — lighting levels, glare sources, temperature, ventilation, noise, and humidity
• ✓ Software and training — software usability, task suitability, training adequacy, and feedback mechanisms
• ✓ Overall risk rating — Low / Medium / High categorisation with narrative justification
• ✓ Action plan — itemised corrective actions with responsibility and target completion dates
• ✓ Assessor and employee sign-off sections
• ✓ Review date and next assessment scheduling

Comprehensive, professionally structured, and ready for HSE inspection or employer audit records.

Related documents: Employers often also use a Health & Safety Policy, Risk Assessment Template, and Fire Risk Assessment alongside DSE records.

Avoid These Common Errors:

• Ignoring home workers: The DSE Regulations apply equally to homeworkers. Many employers assess office staff but overlook remote and hybrid workers — a significant compliance gap.
• Using a generic or US-based template: DSE requirements are specific to UK legislation. Templates from US-based platforms use different terminology and may miss key regulatory requirements.
• No action plan recorded: Identifying risks without documenting corrective actions defeats the purpose. Every identified issue must be accompanied by a specific action, responsible person, and target date.
• Overlooking eye test entitlements: DSE users are entitled to request an eye and eyesight test at their employer's expense. Many employers are unaware of this obligation or fail to document compliance.
• Not reviewing annually: DSE assessments must be reviewed at least annually or when circumstances change. Outdated assessments provide no protection in a claim or HSE investigation.
• Not involving the worker: The assessment should be conducted with the worker, not on their behalf. Their input on comfort, pain, and daily patterns is essential to identifying real risks.
• Ignoring health conditions: Workers with back problems, visual conditions, or upper limb conditions require specific consideration and reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010.
• No record keeping: Verbal assessments or lost records are worthless in an enforcement or legal scenario. Written, signed records are essential.

Our template helps avoid every one of these pitfalls with structured prompts, built-in guidance, and sign-off fields for both assessor and employee.