What Is a DSE Assessment, and Why Does It Matter?
If your employees regularly use display screen equipment — computers, laptops, tablets or screens — as a significant part of their work, you have a legal duty to assess their workstations. The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 require employers to look at the risks from screen work and put controls in place. Get it right and you protect your team from eye strain, headaches and the musculoskeletal problems that come from poor posture; get it wrong and those issues quietly build into lost time and, potentially, claims.
Who Counts as a 'DSE User'?
The regulations apply to 'users' — employees who use DSE daily, for continuous periods of an hour or more. This includes office staff, but also home and hybrid workers, and anyone whose role depends on screen work. If someone only uses a screen occasionally and briefly, they're less likely to count as a user, but the safest approach is to assess anyone for whom screen work is a regular feature of the job.
What a DSE Assessment Covers
A DSE workstation assessment works through the main areas where screen work can cause harm:
- Display screen — is it clear, stable, adjustable, and free from glare and reflections?
- Keyboard and mouse — are they separate, positioned comfortably, and usable without strain?
- Desk and chair — is there enough space, and is the chair adjustable to support good posture?
- Environment — is there enough room, suitable lighting, and acceptable noise and temperature?
- Software — is it suitable for the task and easy to use?
- The individual — do they take regular breaks, and have they been offered an eye test?
Don't Forget Home and Hybrid Workers
The duty to assess DSE doesn't stop at the office door. If employees work from home, even part of the week, their home workstation falls within the same regulations. Home setups are often where the biggest problems hide — kitchen tables, laptops without separate keyboards, and chairs that were never meant for a full working day. A good DSE assessment process covers home and hybrid workers as well as those on site.
Recording Your Assessment
If you employ five or more people, you're required to record the significant findings of your risk assessments — and DSE is no exception. A written record shows what you assessed, what you found, and what you did about it, which is exactly what you'd need to demonstrate if a problem ever arose. Our DSE Workstation Assessment Tool walks you through each checklist area for any workstation — office, home or hybrid — flags what needs fixing, and produces a printable record you can file.
Training Helps Staff Self-Assess
Much of DSE risk management relies on employees recognising and adjusting their own setup. Training gives them that awareness — how to position their screen, set up their chair, and take effective breaks. The DSE training courses cover the essentials in a short, accessible format suitable for any screen worker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I legally have to do a DSE assessment?
Yes — if you have employees who are DSE 'users' under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, you must assess their workstations and reduce any risks identified. This applies regardless of the size of your business.
Does the DSE assessment apply to people working from home?
Yes. The regulations apply to home and hybrid workers in the same way as office-based staff. Their home workstation should be assessed, and any issues addressed.
Do I have to pay for employees' eye tests?
If an employee is classed as a DSE user, you're required to provide an eye test on request, and to contribute towards basic corrective glasses if they're needed specifically for screen work.
How often should DSE assessments be reviewed?
Review a workstation assessment whenever something changes — a new desk, a move to home working, new equipment, or if the user reports discomfort — and periodically even if nothing obvious has changed.