Ergonomic Assessments

Ergonomic Services

Boyne Ergonomics offers independent onsite assessments of employee workstations. The aim of the assessments is to identify and reduce the risk factors that contribute to or aggravate a pre-existing musculoskeletal injury, thus improving employee productivity and performance. 

Boyne Ergonomics also offers onsite Keystone Visual Display Unit eye assessments to identify employees that require corrective lenses when using a display screen. Poor visual acuity can be a contributing factor to poor posture when working with a display unit or computer monitor.

about assessments

Why carry out Ergonomic and Keystone VDU Eye Assessments?

  • Ensure your company meets the legal health and safety obligations to your employees as defined in
    • Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005
    • Safety, Health and Welfare at Work, (General Application) Regulations 2007, Chapter 1 of Part 2 (Workplace)
    • Safety, Health and Welfare at Work, (General Application) Regulations 2007, Chapter 5 of Part 2 (Display Screen Equipment) 
    • Safety, Health and Welfare at Work, (General Application) Regulations 2007, Chapter 2 of Part 6 (Protection of Pregnant, Post-natal and Breastfeeding Employees)

 

  • Ergonomic assessments can improve employee productivity and efficiency by promoting good posture, reduced exertion and reduced stress

 

  • Ergonomic assessments can reduce costs associated with employee absence due to musculoskeletal disorders 

 

  • Ergonomic assessments improve employee engagement and morale

Onsite Ergonomic / DSE (Display Screen Equipment) Assessments

What is an Ergonomic/DSE Assessment?

An ergonomic assessment examines workstation design and tasks in terms of the employees’ capabilities and / or limitations. 

Components of the assessment are:

  • Discussion with the employee regarding relevant medical and work history and current role
  • Assessment of current posture at workstation
  • Assessment of desk, chair and computer equipment
  • Assessment of working environment
  • Discussion with the employee regarding recommended changed and best ergonomic practice

A report is then issued to the employer detailing risk factors identified and recommendations to reduce these risk factors. 

How long does the test take?

An assessment usually takes 20 – 30 minutes per person, depending on the type of workstation and reason for assessment.

Virtual Home Workstation Assessments

What is a Virtual Home Workstation Assessment?

To adapt to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, we now offer virtual assessments of employee’s home DSE workstation. We connect with the employee using video calling software, including Zoom, Webex, Teams and WhatsApp to remotely assess their workstation and postures. 

 

Components of the assessment are:

  • Discussion with the employee regarding relevant medical and work history and current role
  • Virtual visual assessment of current posture at workstation
  • Virtual visual assessment desk, chair and computer equipment
  • Virtual review of working environment
  • Discussion with the employee regarding recommended changed and best ergonomic practice

A report is then issued to the employer detailing risk factors identified and recommendations to reduce these risk factors.

How long does the test take?

An assessment usually takes 30 minutes per person.

Keystone VDU Eye Assessments

What is a VDU Eye Sight Test?

A VDU eye sight test is carried out on employees who use Visual Display Units / Display Screen Equipment in the workplace. This includes:

  • Employees that have no choice but to use the VDU to carry out their work
  • Employees that continuously use the VDU for more than one hour at a time
  • Employees that use the VDU on a general basis

The test is carried out on a Keystone vision screener. This device tests the following components of vision:

  • Distance vision in right eye, left eye and both eyes together
  • Night distance vision 
  • VDU vision in both eyes together
  • Near vision in right eye, left eye and both eyes together
  • Eye coordination 
  • Fusion of far and near points 
  • Colour vision
  • Depth perception
  • Horizontal peripheral vision

How often should the VDU Eye sight test be carried out?

The test should be carried out every two years on employees with normal vision and on an annual basis for employees with abnormal / borderline vision.

How Long does the test take?

The test generally takes 5 – 10 minutes per person.

Should corrective lenses be worn during the test?

If glasses or contact lenses are worn or have been prescribed, they should be brought to the test.

When will the test results be given?

Employees will be informed of their results at the time of the test. The employer will be sent a report outlining the employees who attended for the test and highlighting any employees that require glasses for VDU work.

Are employers required to pay for glasses for their employees?

If the VDU eye test shows that glasses are required for VDU work, the costs of minimum requirement frames and lenses must be borne by the employer. 

Where an employee already wears lenses and routine change of lenses arises, if these glasses are adequate also for VDU work, the employer is not liable as regards meeting the cost. 

Employers are not liable for the cost of lenses for distance / near vision correction.

Member of the Irish Human Factors and Ergonomics Society since 2014

Boyne Ergonomics

If you would like to book an onsite or virtual assessment, discuss the needs of your company or just have a question get in touch and we assist you with your query.

Niamh brings a wealth of education and experience built upon years of continuous education, couples with 10 years carrying out ergonomic assessments and over 13 years of VDU eye assessments. Niamh has carried out these assessments at every level, across a wide range of industries from Small to Medium Enterprises (SME) to large multinational companies.

- Niamh Pentony

Ergonomic assessment specialist

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086 4110654

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Drogheda

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