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Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

Health and Safety
The widespread use of computers in society has brought along with it a wide range of health and safety issues. There is legislation in place to ensure that both employers and employees do their jobs in a safe working environment. The main piece of legislation related to health and safty at work is the Health and safety at work Act 1974, although there are lots of additional legislation that deals with specific issues. In this section, we will outline the main issues surrounding working with computers and the practical steps that can be taken to reduce the problems. 

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
This is a condition that can affect anyone who has to use the same parts of their body to make the same kind of movement over and over again. It can affect musicians, secretaries, checkout assistants and computer users, for example. RSI builds up over time and can affect the joints of the hands or the back, for example, and the muscles, nerves and tendons around the joints. It is much easier to prevent than cure! Providing workers with regular rest breaks can reduce this problem.

Eye strain
Constantly looking at a bright Visual Display Unit can cause eye problems. Eyes need to move around to stay lubricated - staring at a screen can cause a condition called 'dry-eye'. Looking at bright screens can strain eyes and cause defective vision.
The problems can be reduced by ensuring:

    • a good screen contrast. Using a screen filter helps.
    • that users know that they should look away from the screen every 10 minutes or so.
    • users take regular breaks away from the screen.
    • employees do not have defective vision. They should be given regular eye tests.

Injuries caused by bad posture
People who work for long periods at a computer can suffer from a range of problems such as backache, wrist strain or a sore neck. These are often caused by a bad-working posture at the computer or a poorly designed workstation. Employers should ensure that employees can sit properly at computer stations and have had training to ensure that they know how to adjust equipment. Employees have a duty to follow the advice they have been given.

    • They should be able to adjust seats so that the lower arms are horizontal and at the same height as the keyboard.
    • They should be able to sit with their thighs horizontal with their legs under the table and have footrests.
    • They should be able to adjust the height and tilt of screens. Ideally, the eyes should look forward at the screen, not downwards or upwards. The back should be straight and the head should be directly over the spine. If the head is leaning forward or backwards, it puts pressure on the bones of the spine.
    • They should be able to adjust keyboards and they should be able to use a wrist rest for both the keyboard and the mouse. If wrists are not supported, they can quickly become strained.
    • They should be able to retrieve hard copy without over-stretching or bending low down.

Stress
People get stressed out for a range of reasons:

    • New software and hardware products, and new updates, are introduced that have to be learnt. For some older people, this may be a problem, especially if they are trying to keep up with younger employees who have grown up with IT.
    • Software exists which constantly monitor performance. Data input operators could worry, for example, that they will lose their jobs if they don't go fast enough or make too many mistakes. A strike in July 2003 crippled Heathrow Airport because employees had concerns about the introduction of a new computerised swipe card system.
    • Some employees may have few outlets to discuss their problems because some working environments involving computers reduce or remove the opportunity for social interaction.

The working environment
An employee's working environment should be considered. Employers should ask themselves some questions. For example:

    • Are there any cables that are trailing around the computer that somebody could catch themselves on?
    • Is the ventilation adequate? Computers create heat. This can cause headaches and drowsiness.
    • Is the lighting adequate?

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