Occupational Safety and Health (Display Screen Equipment) Regulation

The commencement notice for the Occupational Safety and Health (Display Screen Equipment) Regulation was gazetted on 9 May 2003. The regulation has come into operation since 4 July 2003.

The Regulation aims at protecting the safety and health of employees who use display screen equipment at work for prolonged periods of time. The main provisions of the Regulation are as follows: -

1. The person responsible for the workplace shall perform a risk assessment of existing workstations within 14 days after the commencement date. For new workstations, the risk assessments shall be conducted before they are first used by users. The responsible person shall review the assessment if there has been a significant change in the conditions of the previous assessment or in the workstation.
2. The responsible person shall, so far as reasonably practicable, keep a record of all risk assessments, and shall retain that record for a period of at least 2 years after the workstation ceases to be used by any user; and shall produce the record for inspection;
3. The responsible person shall take steps to reduce any risk identified in a risk assessment to the lowest extent as is reasonably practicable;
4. The responsible person shall, so far as reasonably practicable, make available to users a copy of the risk assessment record and the record of actions taken after the assessment;
5. The responsible person shall, so far as reasonably practicable, ensure that the workstations in the workplace are suitable having regard to the safety and health of users of those workstations;
6. An employer shall, so far as reasonably practicable, ensure that a user employed by him is provided with necessary safety and health training in the use of workstations; and
7. A user of a workstation in a workplace shall, so far as reasonably practicable, conform to the system of work and work practice; and comply with the risk reduction measures.

Related Publications:

• A Brief on the Occupational Safety and Health (Display Screen Equipment) Regulation (PDF)
• A Health Guide on Working with Display Screen Equipment (PDF)
• Code of Practice for Working with Display Screen Equipment (PDF)

For Further information please contact the Occupational Health Service of Labour Department at telephone number 2852 4041.