What is working with display screens?
Royal Decree 488/1997 defines a display screen as any alphanumeric or graphic display, and a workstation as one consisting of a display screen unit equipped, where applicable, with a keyboard or data acquisition device, software for human-computer interaction, office accessories, and a chair and desk or work surface, as well as the immediate work environment. The regulation applies to workstations occupied by employees who regularly use this equipment for a significant part of their workday, and excludes driving positions, on-board computer systems, typewriters with small screens, calculators, and cash registers.
The INSST technical guide specifies the concept of user: users are considered to be workers who exceed four hours a day or twenty hours a week of effective work with this equipment; those who work between two and four hours a day or between ten and twenty hours a week may be considered users if certain circumstances exist (dependence on the equipment to perform the work, lack of possibility of changing tasks, use of programs that require high attention, among others); and those who do not reach these thresholds are not considered users for the purposes of the standard, without prejudice to their risks being assessed in the general way.
The widespread use of laptops, tablets, teleworking, and shared workstations has broadened the practical scope of the regulation: Law 10/2021 requires the same criteria to be applied to teleworking, and the technical guide warns that laptops used continuously must be supplemented with an external screen, keyboard, and mouse.
Characteristic risks
- Eye strain. Eye discomfort, blurred vision, headaches and dry eyes, associated with the distance and height of the screen, reflections, contrast, blinking, inadequate lighting and lack of breaks.
- Musculoskeletal disorders. Neck, back and lower back pain, discomfort in shoulders, wrists and hands, resulting from sustained postures, non-adjustable furniture, inadequate reach and intensive use of the keyboard and mouse.
- Mental load. Fatigue and stress linked to software design, the imposed pace, monotony, interruptions and time pressure.
- Environmental factors. Insufficient or dazzling lighting, equipment noise, temperature, humidity and radiation, which must be kept at adequate levels in accordance with the annex of the royal decree.
- Special situations. People with pre-existing visual problems, special sensitivity, pregnancy, and teleworking, who require specific adaptations.
Employer’s obligations
- Risk assessment. Specific job assessment that considers risks to eyesight, physical problems and mental workload, taking into account usage time, continuous attention time and task demands; the technical guide provides a checklist.
- Technical and organizational measures. Adaptation of equipment, furniture and environment to the minimum provisions of the annex (orientable and tiltable screen, independent keyboard, table with sufficient and low reflective surface, adjustable and stable chair, footrest on demand, adequate lighting) and organization of the activity with breaks or changes of task that reduce the load.
- Health surveillance. Medical examination before starting work with screens, periodic examinations as determined by health personnel and when work-related disorders appear, in accordance with the specific health surveillance protocol; right to an ophthalmological examination if the results advise it and special corrective devices at the company’s expense when normal ones are not suitable.
- Information and training. On job risks, measures taken, correct job setup, breaks and reporting discomfort.
- Consultation and participation. Of the workers’ representatives in the evaluation and in the measures.
Organizational application: how to manage workstations with screens
- Identify the user positions and people according to the usage time thresholds of the technical guide, including those who work remotely.
- Evaluate each position using the guide’s checklist (equipment, furniture, environment, software and organization) and with the participation of the person who occupies it.
- Correct the deficiencies: screen at the right height and distance, adjustable chair, sufficient table, footrest, glare-free lighting and external peripherals for laptops.
- Organize breaks or changes of activity in continuous care tasks and avoid rhythms imposed by the software.
- Schedule initial and periodic specific health surveillance and manage requests for special corrective devices.
- Inform and train on workstation setup, posture, breaks and communication of discomfort, and reinforce this in teleworking.
- Review the evaluation in the event of changes in equipment, software, position or organization, and record the actions taken.
Preventive management software allows you to maintain an inventory of positions and users, record checklists and measures, plan specific health surveillance, and document training.
Limits and common mistakes
- Excluding from the evaluation people who use laptops or work remotely, or not providing them with an external screen, keyboard and mouse.
- Considering the standard to be met with approved furniture without verifying its actual fit for each person.
- Skip breaks or task changes in continuous attention jobs with screens.
- Failure to provide specific health surveillance before starting work or to manage special corrective devices.
- Ignoring the mental load derived from software design and work pace.
- Not checking workstations after changes in equipment, applications, or workplace.
The specific conditions of each position must be evaluated by prevention technicians ; this sheet is for informational purposes only.
Practical example
Situation: An administrative services company with 90 people receives frequent complaints of neck pain and eye strain after equipping its staff with new laptops.
- Evaluation. Technical guide checklist for all workstations: laptop screens too low and close, chairs without lumbar support, and reflections in the windows on the west facade.
- Measures. Provision of an external monitor, keyboard and mouse, adjustable chairs, curtains or blinds on the affected facade and relocation of two workstations perpendicular to the windows.
- Organization. Breaks of five to ten minutes per hour in data entry tasks and rotation with telephone support tasks.
- Follow-up. Specific health monitoring with screen protocol, training on workstation configuration and re-evaluation at six months with reduction of reported discomfort.
Regulatory framework in Spain
- Royal Decree 488/1997, of April 14. Minimum health and safety provisions relating to work with equipment including display screens.
- INSST technical guide on visual display units . Criteria for determining who is a user, evaluating the workstation and applying the minimum requirements.
- Law 31/1995, articles 15, 16, 22 and 25. Preventive principles, assessment, health surveillance and especially sensitive workers.
- Law 10/2021, of July 9, articles 15 and 16. Risk prevention and assessment in remote work.
- Council Directive 90/270/EEC of 29 May 1990. Minimum health and safety requirements for work with equipment including display screens.
The Ministry of Health publishes the specific health surveillance protocol for visual display screens, which is applied by health personnel in prevention services; the UNE-EN ISO 9241 standards cover the ergonomic requirements of the equipment and software.
