Occupational Safety and Health (Display Screen Equipment) Regulation

This is a subsidiary regulation under the Occupational Safety & Health Ordinance (OSHO) enacted on 24 April 2002 under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance. There will be a one-year grace period before this Regulation becomes fully effective (April 2003). [Full Content of the Regulation]

How will the University be affected by this Regulation?

This Regulation is applicable to the University's operations as it is enacted under the OSHO. The Regulation aims at protecting the safety and health of employees who use display screen equipment at work for prolonged periods of time almost every day.

A "display screen equipment (DSE)" refers to any display screen which shows letters, numbers, characters or graphics, regardless of the display process involved. The most common type of DSE that can be found in the office and laboratory environments is the personal computer.

According to the Code of Practice published under the Regulation, the definition of "prolonged periods of time" means:

-   Operation of display screen equipment continuously for at least 4 hours during a day or cumulatively for at least 6 hours during a day; almost every day, and

-   Breaks not exceeding 10 minutes in an hour away from the display screen equipment shall not be regarded as breaking the continuity of use of the display screen equipment.

Summary of Requirements

If any employee is required to work with a display screen equipment (e.g. a computer) at a workstation for "prolonged periods of time" almost every day, the person responsible for the workplace (office, laboratory, workshop etc.) is required to:

Ensure that the workstation is suitable having regard to the safety, and health of the employee. [Guidelines for setting up and working at a proper computer workstation] Perform a risk assessment of the workstation in the workplace place before the workstation is first use by the employee. [Guidelines and checklist for performing Risk Assessment]  Take steps to reduce any risks identified in the risk assessment. Make available to the employee a copy of the relevant record documents, including: Record of the findings of the risk assessment; and Record of any action taken after the assessment. Ensure that the employee is provided with necessary safety and health training in the use of the workstation.

What should departments/units do to comply with the Regulation?

[Reference Guides published by Labour Department]