Display Screen Equipment Training Protects Eyes - By: Tyler Gregory

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 stipulates that employees must have “adequate health and safety training in the use of any workstation upon which he may be required to work”. The same act outlines employers’ responsibilities regarding the provision of eye tests and corrective measures. Contrary to popular belief there is no link between use of a computer and poor eyesight - the evidence just isn't there. The misunderstanding may arise from the fact that prolonged use of a computer screen can raise awareness of pre-existing eye conditions.

Dry eyes and eyestrain leading to headaches are relatively common problems for habitual computer users. Make sure your lighting is at the right level for the task in hand. Your eyes will compensate if it is too light or dark, but this can lead to headaches and eyestrain. Lighting should be appropriate for all tasks - for example reading the screen, typing, writing on paper and reading printed text. There should never be any bright, unshielded light directly in the eyes. An ideal position for the screen is at a right angle to the light.

Added to this, the quality of the display and the software can easily increase eyestrain, which may lead to headaches and migraine. Screens need to be clean and set up to be clear and easy to read, free from flicker and sharply focused, with screen brightness and contrast suitably adjusted - the characters on the screen should be clearly formed and of sufficient size and spacing, with text and background colours working well together.

Computer use can also put a strain on eyes as a result of ‘staring’ for prolonged periods at the same point - the screen. In this case your eye muscles struggle to maintain position; any muscle held in one position for a long time will start to strain. Eye exercises such as re-focussing on the most distance object for 20 seconds every 20 minutes will help. Blinking is important, it lubricates the eyes and staring at a fixed point - the screen - reduces blink rate, making eyes feel dry and gritty. To make matters worse a typical office tends to be a relatively dry environment, due to air conditioning and the heat generated by electrical equipment.

Employers have a basic responsibility to ensure eyes are cared for, so any concerns about eyesight should be addressed to them immediately. It’s true that computers are blamed for all sorts of illness and health problems but it’s usually the way they are being used that causes problems. Display Screen Equipment training is best conducted at one's own work station, so one can immediately see - and make ammendments to - those things which are causing problems.

About the Author

We hope you found this article informative. It was written by Sarah Cushenan, an employee of The Interactive Health and Safety Company. iHASCO specialises in producing interactive Health and Safety training. To arrange further training on Display Screen Equipment and other courses.

For more information about DSE Training Course, visit: http://www.ihasco.co.uk

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Tyler-Gregory/207980

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