| Did you know there were serious risks to your health | | | | employer can be prosecuted in a Civil & Criminal court |
| when working with a computer at home or at work? | | | | of law if the employer knew, or ought to have |
| The rise in general computer usage in modern society | | | | known, that the employee was exposed to risk of |
| using keyboards that permit high speed typing have | | | | injury from using a computer. This is obvious as |
| resulted in an epidemic of injuries of the hands, arms, | | | | Health & Safety in computer usage has been so well |
| and shoulders. Use of pointing devices like mice and | | | | publised to all employers through the promotion of |
| trackballs are as much a cause, if not more so. The | | | | health and safety and common sense. |
| thousands of repeated keystrokes and long periods | | | | Also given that the foreseeable risk, that the |
| of clutching and dragging mice slowly accumulates | | | | employer failed to take reasonable steps to prevent |
| damage to the upper body limbs. | | | | or reduce the risk of injury to the employee and that |
| The symptoms of RSI known as Repetitive Strain | | | | the employee's injury was caused, or contributed to, |
| Injuries include aches, pain, swelling, numbness, | | | | by the work the employee was required to carry out |
| tingling, weakness and cramps. RSI is caused by a | | | | and the employer's breach of duty. |
| combination of overuse and repetition, awkward or | | | | So how can you and your employer protect your |
| static posture and insufficient recovery time. RSI is | | | | safety whilst working with computers whilst at |
| preventable and treatable. It is vital not to ignore the | | | | work? The most important tool for anyone to use in |
| early warning signs. If you have any of the | | | | this instance is to complete a Computer Usage Risk |
| symptoms of RSI take action now on prevention. If | | | | Assessment otherwise known as a DSE assessment |
| symptoms persist seek treatment immediately. | | | | or Workstation assessment. |
| If you are encountering any of the following ailments | | | | The areas risk assessed include how long you work |
| including Tingling, coldness, or numbness in the hands | | | | on a computer, do you take regular breaks,are all |
| at anytime even after a period of using your | | | | your computer equipment set up correctly to |
| keyboard,some loss of strength and coordination in | | | | prevent injury, is there glare on the monitor screen, |
| the hands, Pain that wakes you up at night | | | | seat and posture ,space to move legs, space in front |
| sometimes , Feeling the need to massage your hands | | | | of the keyboard to rest your arms, noise |
| after keying in data, wrists, and arms and Pain in the | | | | distractions,can your feet touch the floor, can you |
| upper back, shoulders or neck, this will be most likely | | | | place all your equipment around you without needing |
| due to the repeated use of a computer. | | | | to stretch etc. |
| If you are encountering any of the ailments | | | | If your employer does not know how to carry out a |
| described above and you use a computer for more | | | | suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to |
| than three hours a day whilst at work, then your | | | | your health whilst at work, then recommend they do |
| employer is not preventing your health problems,you | | | | so immediately to prevent further damage to you |
| can actually win considerable damages in a court of | | | | and your colleagues health whilst using computers. |
| law for this breach in regulations. | | | | Dont become one of the may thousands of people |
| The Display Screen Equipment Regs 1992 sets out | | | | suffering from the painful condition of RSI and other |
| what an employer must do, by law to protect your | | | | computer usage related health conditions in the world |
| safety whilst at work using a computer. Your | | | | today, act now before its too late! |