Occupational Health · Mandatory · Pre-Construction

DSE Workstation Assessment

A workstation assessment for habitual display screen equipment users under the DSE Regulations 1992. Covers QSs, estimators, project managers, planners, H&S advisors, and office staff in construction companies. Assesses screen, keyboard, mouse, desk, chair, environment, and work organisation. Self-assessment with manager review satisfies the legal requirement. Extends to home workstations for hybrid workers. Eyesight testing must be provided on request.

Last reviewed: 2 April 2026 — This guide reflects UK law as of this date. Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 remains current with no amendments enacted as of 2 April 2026. Next scheduled review: 2 April 2027.

Primary legislation	Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 (as amended 2002)
Applies to	All habitual DSE users — defined as workers who use display screen equipment as a significant part of their normal work. Includes office staff, site office staff, home workers, and anyone regularly using a laptop, desktop, or tablet for work
Employer duties	Assess workstations, reduce risks identified, provide information and training, arrange eye tests on request, provide corrective appliances (spectacles) where required specifically for DSE work
Assessment method	Self-assessment by the worker is valid and practical. Manager review and sign-off completes the legal requirement. Specialist ergonomic assessment reserved for complex cases or where a worker has reported symptoms
Review frequency	On initial set-up, when the workstation changes significantly, when the worker reports symptoms, and at regular intervals (typically annually)

1. The Obligation Construction Companies Routinely Overlook

Construction companies are accustomed to managing physical hazards on site — working at height, excavations, lifting operations, hazardous substances. But every construction company also employs a significant number of people who spend most of their working day in front of a screen: quantity surveyors, estimators, project managers, planners, health and safety advisors, commercial managers, finance staff, document controllers, and administrative teams. These workers are habitual display screen equipment users, and the DSE Regulations apply to them with exactly the same legal force as any other health and safety regulation.

The obligation is routinely overlooked because construction companies focus their compliance attention on site-based risks. But consider the reality: a quantity surveyor working on a badly set-up workstation in a Portakabin, spending eight hours a day on a laptop with no external monitor, no separate keyboard, and a chair that cannot be adjusted. An estimator working on a laptop balanced on a packing case in a temporary site office. A project manager working from home three days a week at a kitchen table, on a laptop screen positioned too low, with a dining chair that provides no lumbar support. Every one of these workers is entitled to a DSE workstation assessment under the Regulations, and every one of these workstations is likely to present ergonomic risks that could result in musculoskeletal disorders if left unaddressed.

Musculoskeletal disorders associated with DSE use — upper limb disorders, neck and shoulder pain, back pain, eye strain and headaches — are among the most common causes of workplace absence in the UK economy. They develop gradually, are often dismissed as minor discomfort until they become chronic, and can result in long-term capability issues. A DSE assessment is a simple, low-cost intervention that identifies and addresses ergonomic risks before they cause harm. There is no reasonable justification for not doing it.

Self-assessment is valid and practical

The worker is best placed to assess their own workstation — they sit at it every day and know what is comfortable and what is not. A well-designed self-assessment questionnaire, completed by the worker and reviewed by their line manager, satisfies the legal requirement for a DSE workstation assessment. The manager review confirms that any issues identified have been actioned and that the workstation meets the minimum standards set out in the Schedule to the Regulations. Specialist ergonomic assessment should be reserved for complex cases — for example, where a worker has a pre-existing musculoskeletal condition, where standard equipment cannot resolve an identified risk, or where a worker has reported symptoms despite initial adjustments.

2. Content

A DSE workstation assessment must systematically evaluate every component of the workstation and the working environment. The following table sets out the key fields and the aspects that each section should address.

Field	Detail required
Worker details	Name, job title, department, work location (head office, site office, home, or hybrid). Identify whether the worker is a habitual DSE user as defined by the Regulations.
Assessment date	Date the assessment was completed. This establishes the baseline for review scheduling.
Assessment method	Self-assessment questionnaire, manager-led assessment, or specialist ergonomic assessment. Record which method was used and why.
Screen	Size and resolution adequate for the work performed. Brightness and contrast adjustable. No glare or reflections from windows or lighting. No visible flicker. Screen positioned directly in front of the user, not offset to one side. Top of screen at or slightly below eye level. Viewing distance approximately arm's length (400–750mm). For dual monitors, both screens at equal height and angle.
Keyboard	Separate from screen (essential for laptop users). Tiltable. Positioned so forearms are approximately horizontal when typing. Space in front of the keyboard for wrists to rest when not typing. Keys legible and responsive.
Mouse / pointing device	Positioned close to the keyboard to avoid overreaching. Appropriate size for the user's hand. Operates smoothly on the surface provided. For users reporting wrist or forearm discomfort, consider alternative pointing devices (vertical mouse, trackball).
Desk	Sufficient surface area for screen, keyboard, mouse, documents, and telephone without crowding. Adequate depth to allow the screen to be positioned at arm's length. Height appropriate for the user — ideally adjustable. Stable and level. No sharp edges in contact with forearms or wrists.
Chair	Seat height adjustable. Seat depth allows the user to sit with their back against the backrest while leaving a gap behind the knees. Backrest supports the lumbar region. Armrests (if fitted) allow the user to sit close to the desk without obstruction. Stable five-star base with castors appropriate to the floor surface. Chair in good repair — gas lift functional, backrest adjustment functional.
Environment	Lighting adequate and appropriate — no glare on screen from overhead lights or windows. Temperature comfortable. Noise level does not impede concentration. Sufficient space around the workstation for the user to change position and move freely.
Work organisation	Breaks from DSE work — the Regulations require that DSE work is periodically interrupted by breaks or changes of activity. Users should not work continuously at a screen for prolonged periods without a break. Software and systems usable without excessive cognitive load.
Issues identified	List of all ergonomic risks and issues identified during the assessment, with priority rating (e.g. immediate action required, action required within 30 days, advisory recommendation).
Actions required	Specific corrective actions for each issue identified, with responsible person and target completion date. Examples: provide laptop stand, provide separate keyboard and mouse, replace chair, reposition desk to avoid window glare, arrange eye test.
Eye test	Record whether the user has requested an eye test (employer must provide on request). Record date of most recent eye test if applicable. Record whether corrective appliances (spectacles) were prescribed specifically for DSE work (employer must fund these if required).
Worker signature	Confirmation that the worker has completed or participated in the assessment and agrees with the findings. Date signed.
Manager review	Manager confirms that the assessment has been reviewed, issues have been identified, and actions have been assigned. Manager signature and date.
Next review	Date of next scheduled review. Typically annually, or sooner if the workstation changes, the worker changes role, or the worker reports symptoms.

Laptops are not ergonomic workstations without accessories

A laptop used on its own — without a separate keyboard, mouse, and laptop stand or external monitor — does not meet the minimum ergonomic requirements of the DSE Regulations for habitual use. The screen is too low, forcing the user to look down and flex the neck forward. The keyboard is attached to the screen, preventing the user from positioning both at the correct height simultaneously. Any worker who regularly uses a laptop as their primary workstation must be provided with a separate keyboard, a separate mouse, and either a laptop stand that raises the screen to eye level or an external monitor. This is not a luxury — it is a basic compliance requirement.

3. Common Mistakes

Not including home workers in the DSE assessment programme

Since the widespread adoption of hybrid working, many construction company employees — particularly commercial, estimating, planning, and administrative staff — work from home for part of the week. The employer's obligation to assess DSE workstations extends to the home workstation. A quantity surveyor working three days a week at a kitchen table on a laptop, with a dining chair and no external monitor, is using a workstation that almost certainly fails the minimum ergonomic standards. The employer must assess the home workstation, identify the risks, and either provide equipment to address them or fund the worker's purchase of appropriate equipment. Ignoring home workstations does not remove the obligation — it simply means the obligation is being breached.

Only assessing desktop PC users and ignoring laptop users

Laptops present specific ergonomic risks that are distinct from desktop computers. The screen and keyboard are attached, meaning the user cannot position the screen at the correct height without raising the keyboard above the optimal typing height, or position the keyboard correctly without lowering the screen below eye level. Regular laptop users — which in construction companies includes almost everyone who works on site or travels between locations — need a separate keyboard, a separate mouse, and a laptop stand or external monitor to achieve an ergonomic workstation setup. Assessing only desktop PC users and ignoring the larger population of laptop users misses the group most likely to develop musculoskeletal problems from their workstation setup.

4. Frequently Asked Questions

Do the DSE Regulations apply on construction sites — in site offices and cabins?▾

Yes. The DSE Regulations apply wherever habitual screen users work, and this includes site offices, Portakabins, welfare units, and any other location on a construction site where workers regularly use display screen equipment. A site manager who spends several hours each day working on a laptop in a site cabin is a DSE user and is entitled to a workstation assessment. The assessment should consider whether the site office provides an adjustable chair (not a folding chair or stacking chair), adequate desk space for the screen, keyboard, and documents, appropriate lighting that does not cause glare on the screen, and a comfortable temperature. Site offices are frequently set up with minimal attention to ergonomics, yet the workers using them may spend as many hours at a screen as any head-office employee.

Is the employer required to pay for eye tests and spectacles?▾

The employer must provide an eye and eyesight test on request to any habitual DSE user, and must fund the cost of the test. If the test identifies that the worker needs corrective appliances (spectacles) specifically for DSE work — meaning spectacles prescribed to correct vision at the screen viewing distance that are not needed for other purposes — the employer must fund the cost of a basic pair of spectacles adequate for the purpose. The employer is not obliged to fund designer frames or varifocal lenses unless these are specifically prescribed for DSE use. In practice, many employers provide a fixed contribution towards the cost of spectacles, which covers a basic pair and allows the worker to pay the difference if they choose more expensive options.

How often should DSE assessments be reviewed?▾

The Regulations do not specify a fixed review interval, but the assessment must be reviewed when the workstation changes significantly (new desk, new chair, new location, new equipment), when the worker changes role or working pattern, when the worker reports symptoms that may be related to DSE use (upper limb pain, neck or shoulder pain, eye strain, headaches), and at regular intervals to confirm that the workstation remains satisfactory. In practice, an annual review cycle is the most common approach and is considered good practice by the HSE. For home workers on hybrid arrangements, the assessment should also be reviewed if the balance of home and office working changes significantly.

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