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DSE Assessment for Homeworkers
Introduction
Computers are fantastic tools for business but they do have their downsides. Prolonged use of a computer can cause eye strains, stress and tiredness and problems with posture. If you work in an office environment then the chances are that your employer will organise a regular DSE (Display Screen Equipment) assessment for you. Certainly, in the UK, this is a mandatory Health and Safety requirement. But what if you are lucky enough to work from home? Maybe you are a freelance web designer/developer, graphic artist or a journalist. Who looks after you and your equipment? Well, the simple answer is...you do. This is why I have decided to produce a five step guide to a home DSE assessment.
DSE doesn't just mean the equipment you use or the chair you sit in but can also include your working habits, environment and tackling the root causes of stress.
Equipment
Before you start work you should make a check of your computer equipment. There are a number of things to cover off;
- The Screen: Make sure that your screen is adjusted properly. This means having it at the correct height, angle and distance. Your neck should be straight to ensure your muscles are relaxed and your eyes should be level with the top of the displayed screen area. The screen itself should be around about an arm's length away. It is a good idea to position your computer in an area that does not suffer from light reflecting on the screen. If you are near a window then ensure that you have a blind that can be adjusted to cut out glare but not block out all of the natural light available. Clean your screen regularly to reduce dust and grime. It's amazing what your eyes get 'used to' if you don't clean your screen regularly.
- Documents: Any documents you are working with should be the same distance away from you as your screen. This means that you don't have to refocus your eyes between the screen and the document. If you have space then a document holder is ideal as it can be positioned upright and next to your screen meaning the minimum of head and eye movement between the two.
- Images: Your computer has settings designed to increase or decrease lettering (font) sizes to a level you are comfortable with. You should adjust the settings until you feel you are reading without straining your eyes. Adjust the contrast and brightness settings on your computer and, if your screen flickers at all, you should consider buying a new one.
I would also discourage the use of laptops as regular working stations unless you have a keyboard, mouse, docking station and a separate monitor. Laptops are OK for occasional use and their portability is a massive bonus when you want to show your new client how good a designer you are. The main problems are that you cannot adjust the screen correctly and using a built in mousepad is to be avoided in almost all instances and certainly for prolonged periods of time.
Posture
Your posture is extremely important. Bad posture can cause back and neck pain and increase feelings of stress. Make sure that your working position feels natural and comfortable by following these simple rules;
- Your lower arms and wrists should be level with the keyboard, so your wrists and hands are in a neutral position and your elbows at right angles. To achieve this you may have to adjust the height of your chair;
- When using the mouse keep it close to you so the neutral position is maintained. This means that you should place the mouse or input device so that your forearm is supported and your wrist straight whilst you use it. Make sure it is as close to your body as possible. Also make sure that the mouse is the right size and shape for your hand. A 'novelty' mouse is not recommended for prolonged use even if it upsets the kids when that Christmas gift is not used!
- Avoid twisting your wrists;
- Let your upper arms hang down at your side;
- Make sure you're comfortable. Your lower back and thighs should be well supported;
- Your feet should be resting firmly on the floor, or on a footrest. You don't need to site bolt upright. The important thing is that your back, both lower and upper, is well supported;
- Your shoulders should be relaxed, not hunched forward or rigidly held back;
- Make sure you sit firmly in your chair. Your pelvis should take your weight;
- You should face forward, with your neck muscles relaxed looking slightly down. Don't drop your head forward, or peer at the screen, as this places more strain on the lower neck muscles;
- Don't hold a fixed posture for too long. Change your position occasionally. Move around to rest specific groups of muscles;
We've probably all heard of RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) and it isn't something that is just suffered by office workers. RSI can be caused by the repeated action of striking keys or mouse clicks. RSI is rare but can be very painful. Early diagnosis is the key to a swift treatment of RSI so, if you feel discomfort on your arms and wrists when working, go and see your doctor for a check-up.
Environment
Your working environment can have a great effect on your health and well-being when working at home. As well as the positioning of your computer (as covered above) it is a good idea to make sure that you have enough available light to work comfortably without straining your eyes. Offices have to follow guidelines as to the amount of light available. If possible you should use as much natural light as you can but artificial light can be ok as well. If your screen feels like the brightest thing in the room then the chances are you don't have enough light around you for comfortable working. Try using a more powerful bulb or changing the way the light is directed until the correct level for working is reached. It is also worth noting that a directional light (such as a desk lamp) should not be reflecting off your computer screen as this can also cause problems for your eyes.
One of the benefits of home working is having a bit of background entertainment. Having the radio on can be a good connection to the outside world, especially if you are working on your own for eight hours a day. I tend to favour 'talk radio' stations but I would certainly recommend choosing your radio station carefully. Loud or fast paced music can have a negative effect on your stress levels whereas something a little more relaxing can help to increase your productivity. I would also recommend a DAB Radio as the extensive range of stations can help you to find something appropriate. I know that you can stream radio through your computer but it may interfere with the performance of your computer which can cause frustration in itself.
Don't smoke in your home working environment. The air gets thick with it and it increases the amount of dust particles in the room. Even after the cigarette has been put out you will continue to breathe in the smoke. I will wager that your home office is not that well ventilated either. Blowing smoke at your monitor will also cause a yellowing of the screen and this can lead to a loss of brightness and contribute to eye-strain. Use having a cigarette as part of a break and go into another room or, even better, go outside.
Working Habits
Try to discipline yourself to take regular breaks. Five minutes in the hour should be used to rest your eyes. A good way of doing this is to look out of the window at distant objects. Like you need an excuse, but a cup of tea always helps me as well!
Making a cuppa also means getting up and moving around a bit. This helps the blood to keep circulating efficiently around your body.
You can also take a 'micro-break' by looking away from your screen and focussing on a distant object for a few seconds. Maybe have a nice calendar on a wall set away from your working area. Tell-tale signs of needing to take this kind of action are; your vision starting to blur, you notice yourself leaning towards the screen in order to read or your eyes are becoming scratchy and irritated.
I would also recommend being strict with yourself about taking an hour for lunch. It is too easy to make a sandwich and sit back down at your computer with it. As an employee of a company in the UK you should be entitled to at least half an hour for lunch and you should try to replicate this when working at home. Sit down and watch TV or take half an hour out in the garden if you can.
You can also perform eye exercises from time to time. You might feel a bit silly doing this but it really can help;
- Cup the palm of your hands over your closed eyes and feel the warmth this creates;
- Look up, down and to the sides ten times each;
- Blink ten times to encourage tears and moisturise the surface of your eyes;
- To help the muscles in your eyes relax, focus your eyes into the distance and then to a nearby object, six times.
Minimise Stress
OK, work is hard (no matter what people might think when you work from home) and it can be particularly stressful if you have a deadline to hit. This is not a bad thing in itself. We can all thrive on a bit of pressure. There are a few simple things you can do to minimise the effects of stress;
Plan your main objectives and set realistic deadlines. Spending a few minutes planning a piece of work can avoid the pitfalls of rushing in and starting a job only to find that you have forgotten something vital further down the road. From my experiences as a web designer making this mistake is costly in both income and raising your stress levels beyond 'healthy'.
Make sure that you know how to use the software you need and pay particular attention to understanding the quickest, most efficient ways of doing things. This can include knowing the keyboard shortcuts for your most used features in the program.
Be aware of the time and the need to take a regular break. Working long into the night can be inevitable when you work for yourself but try to keep these instances to a minimum and don't sit for hours at your computer. Try and discipline yourself with a 'cut-off' point where you will stop working. When you are tired you will work much less efficiently than you would after a few hours sleep and this can make tasks take much longer than they need to. Sometimes an 'all-nighter' is not the best answer!
Conclusion
Our homes were never built to be offices and it is not always that easy to adapt our home working environment to follow these guidelines. Do the best you can with what you have. Make sure that you invest in a good, spacious desk and a decent office chair. Regularly maintain your computer equipment and remain disciplined about taking breaks and planning your workload. If you find that your home environment is not suitable for you then consider renting some space in a shared office facility where all of the factors covered here are taken care of for you. Think about it as maintaining your productivity and an investement in your health and well being.
