What Is The Legislation
The main legislation providing for the health and safety of people in the workplace is the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (‘The Act’). The Act applies to all employers, employees (including fixed-term and temporary employees) and self-employed people in their workplace. It sets out the rights and obligations of both employers and employees and provides for substantial fines and penalties for breaches of the health and safety legislation.
On the 1st November 2007 Chapter 5 of Part 2 (Regulations 70 to 73) and the related Schedule 4 to the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 299 of 2007) relating to display screen equipment came into effect. Chapter 5 of Part 2 of the Regulations transposes Directive 90/270/EEC on the minimum safety and health requirements for work with display screen equipment which are commonly referred to as visual display units (VDUs).
There is a range of measures that employers must take to comply with the Regulations. These include examining the reflection and glare of the screen, the operator's position in front of the VDU and the keyboard and the software used. Operators must be given adequate breaks from the VDU. In addition, employers must arrange for eye tests and, if required, make a contribution towards the purchase of prescription eyeglasses. Please click here for further information on VDUs and on the legal requirements that must be met. (Read article in full).
