--- title: "DSE: simple checks for offices re-opening and temporary home-working" description: "As workplaces and offices are re-opening, businesses have been putting resources into making the workplace Covid Secure to keep the virus at bay. Some of these arrangements have changed how offices and workstations are arranged and where desks are located. Keeping social distanc..." canonical: "https://www.safety-management.co.uk/news/dse-simple-checks-for-offices-re-opening-and-temporary-home-working" type: "Article" publishedAt: "2020-09-01T12:56:34" modifiedAt: "2020-10-01T09:17:00" keywords: "Uncategorised" --- # DSE: simple checks for offices re-opening and temporary home-working As workplaces and offices are re-opening, businesses have been putting resources into making the workplace Covid Secure to keep the virus at bay. Some of these arrangements have changed how offices and workstations are arranged and where desks are located. Keeping social distanc... Canonical URL: https://www.safety-management.co.uk/news/dse-simple-checks-for-offices-re-opening-and-temporary-home-working ## Article As workplaces and offices are re-opening, businesses have been putting resources into making the workplace ***Covid Secure*** to keep the virus at bay. Some of these arrangements have changed how offices and workstations are arranged and where desks are located. Keeping social distancing also means for some part time or on-going home working may be required. With offices often being closed for a few months, here’s a simple guide for employers regarding display screen equipment (DSE). For employees returning to the office, especially those with changes to their workstation, they need to check and adjust their chair and equipment. It is best to do this as part of the return to work process. A full DSE risk assessment is unlikely to be necessary, but the use of a self-assessment checklist will ensure employees follow the steps to set up their workstation for comfort and safety, and that there is a record of this. Others will continue to work from home. Where this is a temporary measure the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) do not require a DSE assessment to be carried out as there is no increase in risks. However, they recommend some simple tips for employees - breaking up long spells of DSE work with rest breaks (at least 5 minutes every hour) or changes in activity - avoiding awkward, static postures by regularly changing position - getting up and moving or doing stretching exercises - avoiding eye fatigue by changing focus or blinking from time to time The Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors have produced a [useful visual guide for home working](https://www.ergonomics.org.uk/common/Uploaded%20files/Publications/CIEHF-Working-from-Home-Infographic.pdf) too. For setting up a home-based workstation: And for temporary working where you cannot set up an ideal ergonomic position: Where home working becomes long term or permanent, employers should explain how to carry out full workstation assessments and provide workers with appropriate equipment and advice on control measures. Safety Management have been providing support and advise to a range of organisations to ensure they are able to re-open the workplace safely. If you would like our support, please [contact us](/contact#contact-form), we’re happy to help. ## Related guidance - [Practical Health & Safety Support: Knowing Where to Start and What to Do Next](/news/practical-health-safety-support-knowing-where-to-start-and-what-to-do-next): Managing health and safety can feel straightforward when everything is running smoothly. Policies have been written, risk assessments have been completed, and there have been no recent incidents. However, many organisations reach a point where they begin to ask more fundamental... - [Why Retained Health & Safety Support Gives Leaders Greater Confidence](/news/why-retained-health-safety-support-gives-leaders-greater-confidence): For senior operations, health and safety and facilities leaders, the challenge is rarely a lack of documentation. Most organisations already have policies, risk assessments and procedures in place, and many have competent people responsible for maintaining them. The more difficu... - [How Workplace Safety Audits Help You Focus on What Actually Matters](/news/how-workplace-safety-audits-help-you-focus-on-what-actually-matters): A workplace safety audit is often associated with compliance, paperwork and preparing for inspections. While these are all important aspects of health and safety management, they are not the primary reason for carrying out an audit. The real value of a workplace safety audit UK... - [What Should You Do After a Near Miss in the Workplace? A Practical Guide for Businesses](/news/what-should-you-do-after-a-near-miss-in-the-workplace-a-practical-guide-for-businesses): A near miss in the workplace is an incident that had the potential to cause injury, ill health, damage to property or interruption to business operations but, fortunately, did not result in harm. While it may be tempting to regard these incidents as isolated events because no on... ## Explore local coverage - [Explore local coverage](/locations): Browse support across regions, towns, services and sectors. - [Health & Safety Consultancy in Bedfordshire](/services/health-safety/bedfordshire): Health & Safety Consultancy coverage linked to Bedfordshire businesses and surrounding towns. - [Manufacturing support in Bedfordshire](/sectors/manufacturing/bedfordshire): Manufacturing guidance connected to Bedfordshire operations and site risk. - [Health & Safety Consultancy in Bedford](/services/health-safety/bedfordshire/bedford): Health & Safety Consultancy support for Bedford and nearby areas including Luton, Dunstable.