DSE, in plain English
DSE means Display Screen Equipment, anything with a screen that people use for work, including computers, laptops and tablets. A DSE assessment is a structured look at how someone uses that equipment and the workstation around it, with the goal of making sure they can work comfortably, safely and productively.
A good assessment covers the chair, desk, screen position, keyboard and mouse, lighting and the person’s own working habits, then turns that into clear, practical recommendations.
Why it’s a legal requirement
In the UK, DSE assessments are governed by The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992. Employers have a duty to assess the workstations of DSE users and reduce the risks they identify. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publishes guidance on how to do this well.
Beyond compliance, there’s a simple business case: comfortable employees take less time off, work more productively, and are far less likely to develop the kind of repetitive strain problems that become expensive, and personal.
DSE and home & hybrid workers
A common misconception is that the Regulations only apply in the office. They don’t. They apply to permanent home and hybrid workers too. If someone uses a screen for more than an hour a day as a significant part of their role, their home workstation should be assessed just like a desk in the office.
That’s exactly why our online ergonomic assessments exist, so you can meet your obligations to distributed staff wherever they are, over Zoom or Teams.
A note from James
I came to this work the hard way. After years of long days at a laptop in a demanding job, I developed a repetitive strain injury serious enough to threaten my career, so I understand first-hand why getting the basics right matters. A DSE assessment isn’t box-ticking; done properly, it’s one of the most cost-effective things an employer can do for their people. You can read my full story here.