Desk Station Health and Safety: Why Your Employees Need More Than a Training Video

For an employer, an online desk assessment can appear straightforward: send a link, ask employees to complete it and record that it has been done.

But what happens when someone reports shoulder pain? Who reviews an uncertain answer? And how do you know whether the advice addresses the way that person actually works?

At Well at Work Project, these questions shape our approach. We combine the convenience of digital assessment with specialist expertise, with every assessment reviewed by an expert desk assessor from Level 1.

Our aim is to help employers understand their employees’ needs and turn assessment findings into practical improvements.

When do employers need to assess desk station health and safety?

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations apply to workers who use display screen equipment daily for continuous periods of an hour or more. These employees are known as DSE users.

A small business with just one qualifying employee can have responsibilities. Employers must assess workstations, reduce identified risks, provide information and training, plan suitable breaks or changes of activity, and provide an eye test when a DSE user requests one.

Workstation assessment should be part of your arrangements when:

• A new employee starts using DSE.

• A new workstation is introduced.

• Equipment, furniture or the way a workstation is used changes.

• An employee reports pain or discomfort.

HSE identifies these as circumstances requiring assessment. Employers should respond to changes and concerns as they arise, rather than waiting for a scheduled review.

For hybrid employees, assessments should cover both their home and office working arrangements. A suitable office workstation does not tell you whether their home setup meets their needs.

A personal injury claim - desk station related?

Yes these claims absolutely do exist and too often poor workstation set ups give solid ground for claims, when a simple smooth approach to DSE health and safety could have protected that employee better against desk related pains.

Why a training video alone is insufficient

A video can explain useful principles: how to adjust a chair, position a screen or organise desk space. It is a helpful educational tool.

However, watching a video does not establish whether an employee’s workstation is suitable for them, whether they have understood the advice or whether a reported problem has been resolved.

HSE guidance makes clear that assessment software cannot constitute the whole assessment. A trained assessor should review the results, clarify doubtful points, provide feedback and ensure problems are addressed.

When choosing a provider, employers should therefore ask what happens after an employee presses “submit”.

Who reviews the answers? What happens if discomfort is reported? How are employees identified for further support?

What makes Well at Work Project different?

Specialist review from Level 1

At Well at Work Project, expert review is included from the first level of assessment.

Our osteopath-designed digital platform guides employees through their workstation assessment and provides immediate, tailored advice. Every completed assessment is reviewed by a trained assessor, with Level 2 and Level 3 assessments available where more detailed input is needed.

This gives employers a route from initial assessment to further support, while keeping the starting process accessible for employees.

An osteopath-led understanding of musculoskeletal health

Our approach brings together knowledge of workstation ergonomics and musculoskeletal health.

An employee’s discomfort may involve several factors: equipment position, the task being performed, sustained positions, working habits or an existing health concern. Our specialist perspective helps us consider those factors together, rather than viewing each answer in isolation.

For example, an employee may report that their chair is adjustable but still struggle to work comfortably. The useful question is whether they can adjust it appropriately within their particular desk setup.

A workstation assessment is not a medical diagnosis. Specialist input can, however, help identify when adjustments, further assessment or advice to seek clinical support may be appropriate.

Recommendations guided by need

A useful recommendation should explain what needs to change and why.

Sometimes the starting point is repositioning existing equipment or helping an employee understand their chair adjustments. In other cases, different equipment or a more detailed assessment may be appropriate.

We do not sell workstation equipment. This allows us to focus our recommendations on the employee’s needs without an equipment sale attached.

Why use a specialist desk assessment provider?

Employers can manage DSE assessments through suitably trained, competent in-house staff. Appointing an external specialist is not a separate legal requirement. HSE recognises that additional expertise may be needed for more complex situations and that assessors should recognise when further support is necessary.

For businesses without that expertise internally, a specialist provider offers practical support with interpreting findings and deciding what should happen next.

The benefits include:

• Individual consideration: advice informed by the employee’s tasks, setup and reported difficulties.

• Clearer priorities: support identifying which concerns need further attention.

• A route to additional expertise: more detailed assessment when an initial review is insufficient.

• Useful guidance for managers: recommendations that help turn findings into action.

• Support for employees: an opportunity for concerns to be recognised and considered.

Choosing a provider is about understanding the quality of the review and support behind the platform, alongside how easy it is to use.

A healthy workstation should support movement

Desk station health and safety also involves how the working day is organised.

An employee might have suitable furniture but spend long periods in the same position, reach repeatedly for equipment or have little opportunity to change activity.

Our approach considers how the workspace supports the person throughout their day. Equipment should be positioned for comfortable use, adjustments should be understood, and the working routine should allow variation.

The objective is a setup employees can use confidently and adapt to their tasks.

Assessment should lead to action

Outsourcing an assessment does not remove the employer’s responsibility to address identified risks.

A useful process needs someone within the business to take ownership of recommendations, arrange agreed changes and check whether concerns have been resolved. Employees also need to know how to report new difficulties.

For small and medium-sized businesses, specialist support can make that process easier to understand and manage. It helps connect what an employee reports with the practical decisions an employer needs to make.

Start with a free desk station health and safety audit

If you are unsure whether your current arrangements provide the review and follow-up your employees need, reach out to Well at Work Project for a free desk station health and safety audit.

It is an opportunity to discuss your current approach and where specialist support could help.

Explore our DSE workstation assessments or contact our team.