Desk Station Health & Safety
Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure their employees are working safely at their desk. For organisations with five or more employees, this includes having appropriate DSE (Display Screen Equipment) assessments in place.
What we have seen in practice, however, is a reliance on generic, education-only tools. These tend to be video-based and designed to tick a box, rather than properly assess the individual. The result is predictable. Poor desk set-ups, ongoing discomfort, and ultimately desk-based pain that builds over time.
From a clinical perspective, this is where problems start. Employees begin to struggle with pain, productivity drops, time off work increases, and in some cases, it can lead to formal complaints or personal injury claims.
At The Well at Work Project, we approach this differently
Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
The Health and Safety Executive is clear that DSE provision should include both risk identification and workstation assessment. Education alone does not meet that standard.
We have built our own platform to reflect what is actually needed in practice. It is designed to identify risk, assess the individual workstation, and provide clear, practical recommendations that people can realistically follow.
What makes this different is that it is clinically led. This is not a generic system. It is built on real patient experience, understanding how and why desk-based pain develops, and what actually prevents it.
What this means for Employers
→ A clear and structured way to identify risk across your workforce
→ Individual workstation assessment, not just general advice
→ A system that is easy for managers to oversee and implement
→ Confidence that your approach aligns with current guidance and best practice
No provider can completely remove the risk of a claim. However, having a robust, clinically informed system in place puts your organisation in a much stronger position to demonstrate that you have taken appropriate and reasonable steps to protect your employees.
Our platform is also aligned with ISO27001 and ISO45001 standards, giving you reassurance around both data security and occupational health processes.
Ultimately, this is about doing DSE properly. Not just for compliance, but to reduce avoidable pain, support your team, and keep people working well.