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Task 03 - Produce a report describing the problems, dangers and preventative measures employees/employers need to take to prevent injury or injuring others who use ICT equipment.

LO1 - Understand the personal attributes valued by employers

Health & Safety

All companies have procedures they apply to staff and rules they apply to themselves in the common working day. The importance of these vary between companies, for instance a Builders Yard is more likely to abide by the Health and Safety at Work Act because of the risk of dangers whereas an office is more like to be guided by the DPA and CMA. But there are additional risks to Health in offices that are not as apparent to those of building sites:• Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) - to provide a safe environment for employees and

employers, as well as the general public• Data Protection Act (1998) - allows a person the right to know what information an

organisation holds on them and the right to correct information that is wrong• Computer Misuse Act - enacted to respond to the growing threat of hacking to

computer systems and data• Copyright Legislation - gives the creators of some types of media rights to control how

they are used and distributed - refers to music, books, video and software• Contracts of Employment - the behaviours they would need to apply when employed in

any workplace.

Task 03 - Good working practices, H&S and Organisational Procedures

• The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) - The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) is one of the major employment laws designed to protect companies and workers against injuries suffered at work. The Act itself is several thousand pages and covers almost everything form what clothes to wear, what hours to work, where to store products and by products, fire risks and how to avoid dangers.

• For instance, when it comes to using ICT equipment safely is important for your health. All businesses, no matter their size or type, have a legal responsibility to reduce the risk of workplace dangers and provide safe and healthy conditions for employees to work in, for customers to enter the premises and for suppliers to deliver goods or any other business practice that could be affected by the activities of the business

P1.2 - Task 03 - Produce a report describing the problems, dangers and preventative measures employees/ employers need to take to prevent injury or injuring others who use ICT equipment.

The Law Dangers PreventionsHealth and Safety at Work Act (1974)

RSI (Repetitive strain injury - performing the same task repeatedly)

Stress (operating computers, inability to get the computer to perform desired function)

Working Environment (ergonomics, lighting, clutter, layout of equipment, wires, food and drink…)

Physical prevention - breaks, stretches, ergonomic work environment, appropriate equipment - wrist wrests, back support, optimal height for seating and viewing screen

Technical prevention - Shortcuts, help, colour

Task 03 - Good working practices, H&S and Organisational Procedures

The Health and Safety at Work Act means that employers have a duty to look after the health and safety of their employees.• They have to assess the risk of the employee getting hurt or becoming ill and do all they can to avoid it happening• People who use computers for most of the day are exposed to certain risks, and these are the people the

regulations cover

What does the employer have to do?Employers need to look at:• the whole workstation including equipment, furniture, and the work environment• the job being done• any special needs of individual staff• They have to assess the risks and do as much as they can to reduce them.

Task 03 - Good working practices, H&S and Working Practices

• Spot the possible hazards within the office below:

• Below is a spider diagram (You can enlarge it if needed) which highlights some of the safety issues that could be found at work and how it these can be avoided.

Task 03 - Good working practices - H&S and Working Practices

• Legal Measures to Protect - Measures employers should take include:– Understanding the law make sure someone in your organisation has a health and safety brief covering all areas, not just

computers.– Being aware of the health risks the government officially recognises some of the risks although there are some grey

areas you'll need to make up your own mind about.– Assessing the risks using procedures set out in the law be systematic and get help if you need it.– Get a health and safety audit done by a competent organisation if necessary.– Taking steps to minimise the risks this may only involve taking simple measures.– Training all users to recognise the risks if people aren't aware of the dangers they can't take adequate precautions to

protect their health.– Taking users views seriously if users feel there is something wrong there often is.

• What problems are there? - Most of the problems are caused by the fact that people are sitting in the same position doing the same task over and over again.– Sitting at the wrong height and in the same position for long periods of time is the most common cause of back pain.– Using the keyboard and fingers and repeatedly making the same small movement over and over again can cause carpal

tunnel syndrome and other forms of RSI - repetitive strain injury.– Glare or reflections from windows or lights and a dirty screen are the most common cause of eyestrain and headaches.

• Manufacturers are required to ensure that their products comply, such as:– Notebook PCs are not suitable for entering large amounts of data– Keyboards must be separate and moveable– Screens must tilt and swivel

Task 03 - Good working practices - H&S and Measures

• The Risks - With the increase in computer use, a number of health and safety concerns related to vision and body aches and pains have arisen. Many problems with computer use are temporary and can be resolved by adopting simple corrective action. Most problems related to computer use are completely preventable.

• However it is important to seek medical attention if you experience any symptoms:

– RSI - Usually affects hands, wrists, elbows, arms, shoulders and neck

– Continual or Recurring Discomfort

– Aches and Pains

– Throbbing and Tingling

– Numbness and Stiffness

– Burning Sensation

• HSE says more than 100,000 workers suffer to some degree

• Repetitive Strain Injury - If you work in an office and use a computer, it is now recognised that you can get RSI from over using a keyboard. Repetitive Strain Injuries occur from repeated similar physical movements doing damage to tendons, nerves, muscles, and soft body tissues

• The rise of computer use and flat, light-touch keyboards that permit high speed typing have resulted in an epidemic of injuries of the hands, arms, and shoulders. Use of pointing devices like mice and trackballs can cause as much damage.

• The thousands of repeated keystrokes and long periods of clutching and dragging with mice slowly accumulates damage to the body. This can happen even more quickly as a result of typing technique and body positions that place unnecessary stress on the tendons and nerves in the hand, wrist, arms, and even the shoulders and neck

• Lack of adequate rest and breaks and using excessive force almost guarantee trouble.

Task 03 - Good working practices - H&S and Risks

• Repetitive Strain Injury - What are the Symptoms?– Tightness, discomfort, stiffness, soreness or burning in the hands, wrists, fingers, forearms, or elbows – Tingling, coldness, or numbness in the hands – Clumsiness or loss of strength and coordination in the hands – Pain that wakes you up at night – Feeling a need to massage your hands, wrists, and arms – Pain in the upper back, shoulders, or neck associated with using the computer

• A solution is to have correctly positioned keyboards and adjustable chairs so that the angle between the wrist and hand is correct. Wrist supports can also be used and workers should be allowed regular breaks.

• Eye Strain - According to the London Hazards Centre, more than 70% of people working with screen for more than 6 hours a day have found that they experience visual problems. The most common of these are eyestrain, double vision, temporary short-sightedness and visual tiredness. Although computer usage has not been proven to cause permanent damage to healthy eyes, there is evidence to suggest that small vision defects may start to cause problems when carrying out more visually demanding tasks.

• Eye Strain - Concerns. Computer Screens have been blamed for causing eyestrain and there are claims that prolonged exposure can lead to the development of cataracts. Companies provide free eye tests for employees working with VDU's and legislation concerning the ambient lighting in the room has been introduced.

• An employer may also provide screen filters that increase contrast and reduce background reflections. The screens should be positioned correctly to reduce external reflections from windows or blinds should be used to reduce the light reaching the screen from the window.

Task 03 - Good working practices - H&S and RSI and Eye Strain

Glare Improper lighting Improperly corrected vision (wrong glasses) Poor work

practicesPoorly designed

workstations

• Computers And Stress - October 2003: Computer users need to stem the stress their machines cause them before it damages health, according to a survey. Nine out of 10 are regularly annoyed by slow, crashing machines, while time wasted fixing problems makes it worse, say security experts Symantec. A Health and Safety Executive survey of 700 managers said £1.24 billion a year was lost because of stress-related sickness and lost productivity, and an increasing amount of stress is caused by computers in the workplace. The top five causes of computer related stress were:

• More than a third of men and women will resort to extreme behaviour when confronted with computer frustration, such as violence, swearing, shouting and slapping the keyboard.

• Computers And Stress - Stress is a major health problem, which costs the UK billions of pounds every year. Stressed employees are more susceptible to other health problems e.g. heart disease and ulcers. Stress, in itself, is an illness that can cause long-term absence from work. Stress in the workplace is made worse by:– Using computers to monitor employee’s performance– “Technophobia” (the fear of computers by older staff and their concern that they will become de-skilled

by the introduction of IT)– Pagers, Mobile Phones and Laptops mean that an employee can never truly be away from the office.– “Information overload” (computers can bombard people with more information than they can

assimilate)• There is evidence that ICT workers suffer particularly from stress, possibly because the pace of change in ICT

is so great that many feel under pressure to keep up with every new development.

Slow performance and system crashes Spam, scams and too much e-mail Pop-up ads Viruses Lost or deleted files

Task 03 - Good working practices - H&S and Stress

• Stress – This is one of the major factor in work-related illness . Ways in which computers put pressure on workers

– They may be used to monitor performance

– They induce fear and panic - particularly in older people

– It can be impossible to escape technology like Mobile phones, modems, laptops

– Information overload

– Speed of development contributes to stress-related illnesses

• General Aches and Pains - Workers may complain of stiff necks or back problems related to their work. The solution is to have the correct poise between the positions of the keyboard the head and the VDU. This requires swivel mounted VDU's and adjustable chairs and the use of foot rests.

• Physical Prevention - General precautions to avoid musculoskeletal problems include:

– Taking regular breaks from working at your computer a few minutes at least once an hour

– Alternating work tasks

– Regular stretching to relax your body

– Using equipment such as footrests, wrist rests and document holders if you need to

– Keeping your mouse and keyboard at the same level

– Avoiding gripping your mouse too tightly hold the mouse lightly and click gently

– Familiarise yourself with keyboard shortcuts for applications you regularly use (to avoid overusing the mouse)

• Technological Precautions - Consideration can be take over the location and position of your physical environment including:

• Keyboards, Monitors and Mouse

• Chairs and Desk space

• Physical environment

Task 03 - Good working practices - H&S and Stress

• The Ergonomic Environment - Ergonomics refers to the design and functionality of the environment, and encompasses the entire range of environmental factors. Employers must give consideration to:– Lighting: office well lit, with blinds– Furniture: chairs of adjustable height, with tilting backrest, swivelling on five-point base– Work space: combination of chair, desk, computer, accessories, lighting, heating and ventilation all contribute to

overall well-being– Noise: e.g. noisy printers relocated– Hardware: screen must tilt and swivel and be flicker-free, the keyboard separately attached– Software: should facilitate task, be easy to use and adaptable to user’s experience

Task 03 - Good working practices - Ergonomics

• The Ergonomic Environment - Employers, including schools and universities, are obliged to carry out a risk assessment of all workstations and reduce risks to "the lowest extent reasonably practicable". NB: Workstations which will be used by more than one person - such as in libraries or classrooms - must be flexible enough to meet different people's needs. For example, they must be adaptable to suit people of varying heights.

• Desk - The desk or table must be large enough to allow the monitors, keyboard etc to be correctly positioned. • Surface should be in a matt finish, to avoid reflective glare• In general desks used for computer-based work need to be larger than traditional desks• Should also be low enough to allow you to keep your forearms horizontal or sloping downwards slightly and high

enough to allow your thighs underneath it• Elbows should be at an angle of at least 90 degrees when sitting at it, and your arms should not be extended in

front of you• Chair - This should be high enough to allow you to sit comfortably over the keyboard. • Should swivel: five castors will ensure that it is stable. The seat must be adjustable in height, and the backrest must

be adjustable backwards and forwards as well as up and down. • Backrest must be firm against your back• You should not lean back, but sit upright with the back supporting you• If the chair has arms, these must allow you to get close enough to the desk and still be able to swivel the chair;

however, arms are unnecessary and in many cases make a chair unsuited to computer work• Some experts believe the chair's seat should be tilted forwards, throwing the weight on to your feet which must be

flat on the floor. If your feet do not reach the floor comfortably, you must have a footrest - Specialist footrests are available.

• You should not wear high heels while using the computer.

Task 03 - Good working practices - Ergonomics

• Keyboard - The keyboard should have a matt finished surface to avoid reflective glare.

• Should be separate from the monitor and easily adjustable, with clearly marked keys

• Should be easy to use - for example, keys should not stick - and the desk should be large enough to allow adequate space in front of it to position your hands properly

• Monitor - The screen(s) should have easily adjustable brightness and contrast controls and be easy to tilt or swivel.

• There should be no reflective glare; some models will benefit by fitting an additional anti-glare screen (these are very cheap)

• Make sure that you sit far enough away from the monitor(s) you are using; most people's natural distance for comfortable vision is 20-24 inches

• If the table supporting your computer is too narrow to allow this, it is breaking the Regulations

• Lighting - Lighting should be appropriate for all editing tasks performed at the workstation, e.g. reading the screen, keyboard work, referring to paperwork etc…

• Must not cause glare or reflections on the monitor(s)

• Workstation should be positioned in order to reduce glare and reflections to a minimum, and if necessary windows must have blinds to keep out direct light and overhead lights should have diffusers

• Another way to reduce reflections is to avoid brightly painted or shiny white walls

• In the UK, lighting is also covered by the Lighting at Work Regulations (1987) - these state that if fluorescent lights flicker to the extent that most people are aware of it, they should be replaced. However, flickering fluorescent lights may cause headaches in susceptible people at levels which are not obvious to most people, so should always be considered as a cause of sudden bouts of pain and disturbed vision.

Task 03 - Good working practices - Ergonomics

• Environment - Computers generate heat, but this must be controlled to a "comfortable" level, if necessary by the use of fans and/or air conditioning.

• At the same time, the air must not be too dry or too damp• Background noise must not be so high that you find it difficult to concentrate or need to

shout• Radiation must be reduced to "negligible" levels• In general you should have enough space to be able to change position and vary your

movements• You should take regular breaks from the computer, ideally five minutes every half an hour

- This relieves eye strain as well as helping to prevent RSI.• Design of Tasks - If possible, it is better for employees to have a change of task rather

than sit in front of a screen all day. If that isn’t possible, they will need to take regular breaks.

• The fact that computers provide a record of every working moment can put a lot of stress on employees who are expected to meet very demanding targets.

• Employers can help by providing the right training and setting realistic targets.• They should also make sure that the employees have regular eyesight checks.

Task 03 - Good working practices - Ergonomics

• Training - Employees should be trained so that they understand:

• how to adjust the furniture so that they are sitting properly• how to adjust the monitor setting depending on the lighting in the room• that it is important to change position regularly• that they must actually take their breaks - regular short breaks are better than

one longer one• how to report any problems they may have

• Summary - Employers have a duty to look after the health and safety of their employees.

• Employers need to assess the working environment, the type of job carried out and any special requirements of their employees.

• Risks must be assessed and all efforts made to reduce them.• Most problems for ICT workers can be reduced by having the correct height work

surface, an adjustable chair and the correct lighting.• Regular breaks and annual eye checks are also very important• Employees should have the appropriate training to minimize the risk of injury

Task 03 - Good working practices - Ergonomics