Safety and Health Services have introduced a Homeworking Display Screen Equipment app to make it easier for staff to order DSE equipment for use at home.

The new automated process:

• Is only for requesting DSE related equipment for use at home and will be delivered to the member of staff’s home address
• Is only for UoB members of staff
• Shows clearly what standard equipment is available for staff to request for use at home
• Gives guidance on how specialist/ergonomic equipment can be requested
• Helps DSE assessors keep local records of what equipment has been requested by staff
• Makes the process of providing equipment to staff working at home quicker and easier
• Reduces admin for staff and DSE assessors as it means that a DSE self-assessment and workstation photo are no longer required for requests for standard equipment.

Standard equipment items are:

• Keyboard (wired)
• Mouse (wired)
• Footrest
• Desk raisers
• Laptop stand
• Monitor with webcam and mic (only one can be requested)
• Adjustable office chair
• Desk (3 size choices are available)
• HDMI cable

The local DSE assessor (named in the app by the person making the request), will be notified by email of all requests made via the new app. The notification will include who has made the request and what items were requested. In the absence of a DSE assessor, the line manager can be named instead.

In addition, the DSE assessor (named by the person submitting the request in the app), will be notified by email if the app has found missing or unclear information. In these situations, the request will be automatically flagged for review by a Health and Safety Advisor from Safety and Health Services. More information may be required before the request is approved. You will be informed of the outcome of this review.

If specialist equipment is required for working from home, the DSE assessor will be sent an email asking for their approval before the app will continue with the process. The person making the request is asked by the app to contact the DSE assessor to discuss this, and to provide a copy of the completed DSE self-assessment form to the local DSE assessor for their records. The DSE assessor should discuss any specific issues before approving or rejecting their request. The email notification will explain how to do this and how to add any comments. If the request is approved, a Health and Safety Advisor will also be automatically asked to check the request before the order is placed.

If you are not the DSE assessor for your local area, please pass this message on to local DSE assessor(s) and any other interested parties.

If you need further information on the process please look at the FAQ section within the app or contact jessica.vance@bristol.ac.uk

Purpose: Practical advice and checklist for working from home safely.

Resources: 

• Home working guidance and checklist (PDF)
• Home working guidance and checklist (Office document, 107kB) - Editable version

Completed by: Individual working from home.

Purpose: Visual overview of the DSE risk assessment process with links to resources. Recently simplified and adapted to reflect the new ways University staff work, this process has been designed with flexibility in mind, covering multiple workstations across different locations. Therefore, this process can be applied to any DSE user, wherever they work, including:

• home working
• working on campus with a fixed desk
• NWoW on campus
• working while travelling
• other types of remote working
• a mix all working styles

Resource: DSE risk assessment flowchart

Relevant for: All University staff using computers, local DSE assessors and SSAs.

Purpose: Forms part of the DSE risk assessment process by identifying whether further adjustments to the workstation or actions are needed.

Resource: DSE Self-assessment form (Office document, 82kB)

Completed by: Individual using computer and workstation

Submitted to: Local DSE assessor

When: After the individual has worked through the e-learning module, followed the guidance and completed the checklists but the issues remain unresolved.

Purpose: Any University employee who is a DSE user is entitled to an eye and eyesight test.

Please make a request using the dse user eye test authorisation form (Office document, 66kB) .

Please complete section 1, obtain authorisation locally from the SSA or DSE assessor for section 2, and ask the optician to complete section 3.

You may then visit the optician of your choice and submit an expenses claim using myERP.

What you can claim:

• Up to £25 for the cost of an eye test
• up to £35 for glasses prescribed solely for DSE use

The optician will determine the frequency of future tests (in section 3 of the form). This is usually every two years, but may vary.

Please note: 

• By signing the form, you declare that the information provided is correct, that you understand the terms of this agreement and that you agree for the results to be disclosed to the University of Bristol.
• The University will not contribute towards glasses prescribed for any use other than DSE work.
• If an ordinary prescription is also suitable for DSE use (e.g. prescribed for watching TV, reading driving etc.) the University will not contribute to or fund the glasses.
• If the costs of the eye and eyesight test or glasses prescribed for DSE use exceed the amounts specified above, the employee will need to meet these extra costs.