DSE Assessments Northern Ireland & Belfast, Chartered Ergonomist
Many businesses, schools, charities and organisations in Northern Ireland are unaware of their DSE obligations, treat assessments as reactive rather than proactive, or rely on approaches that do not meet the competence standard required. DSE obligations apply equally regardless of sector, and staff in schools and charitable organisations have the same legal entitlements as employees in any other workplace.
I provide comprehensive DSE assessments across Northern Ireland including Belfast, Derry, Newry and surrounding areas, helping your organisation meet legal obligations whilst protecting the health of your staff. With previous experience carrying out hundreds of DSE assessments for corporate clients at Humanscale across both home and office workstations, I now deliver independent, expert, competent assessment and practical solutions.
As part of every assessment I take time to explain to each worker what an optimal workstation setup looks like, how to adjust their equipment correctly and why it matters for their comfort and health. The assessment is not just an evaluation, it is an opportunity to educate and enable workers to take responsibility for their own workstation setup.
DSE Assessment Sweeps
An efficient way to assess your entire team catching issues before they become discomfort or injuries and establishing a compliant baseline for your organisation. How often should DSE assessments be carried out? The Regulations require a review whenever workstations or circumstances change and I recommend reassessing every one to two years as good practice.
What’s included:
Comprehensive HSE-based DSE assessment - approximately 30 minutes per person
On-site visit with photo documentation
Immediate workstation adjustments where possible
Detailed individual assessment reports with observations and actions
Summary ratings across keyboard, monitor, chair, desk, lighting and environment
Equipment recommendations tailored to user needs
Professional summary report for users and managers
For group bookings - Manager briefing document covering positive findings, common issues, equipment ratings, equipment requirements and an action plan
Equipment recommendations are provided independently. I am not affiliated with any equipment suppliers, ensuring advice is based solely on your needs.
Volume pricing available, the more staff assessed, the lower the per-person cost. Travel included for BT1-BT29 postcodes.
Assessment Options
On-site DSE assessments across Northern Ireland for hands-on workplace evaluation
Virtual DSE assessments available across Northern Ireland, UK, Ireland and worldwide for flexible, cost-effective solutions
Home & Hybrid Workers
HSE guidance is clear that DSE assessments for home and hybrid workers should cover both the home and the office. I carry out home workstation assessments on-site and virtually. Find out more about home and hybrid working Ergonomics.
Compliance
My assessments align with The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1992 and the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 as amended by the Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002, ensuring your organisation meets its duty of care obligations.
Assessments must be carried out or overseen by a competent person - a worker completing an untrained self-checklist, or a manager reviewing one without formal training, does not meet the standard the Regulations require. As a Chartered Ergonomist I am a suitable competent person to carry out DSE assessments on your behalf.
Who Counts as a DSE User?
A DSE user is any worker who uses a desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone daily, for an hour or more at a time. That includes staff at fixed desks, home workers, mobile workers and those hot-desking. Every DSE user is entitled to a workstation assessment, not just those who have raised a concern or are experiencing discomfort.
When Is a DSE Assessment Required?
HSENI guidance is clear that an assessment must be carried out when:
A new workstation is set up
A new user starts work
A workstation, or the way it is used, changes
A user reports pain or discomfort
The first three mean most DSE users should already have been assessed, whether or not they have ever complained. Employers with five or more employees must also record the significant findings.
A follow-up assessment is recommended once new equipment, such as a replacement chair or sit-stand desk, is in place, in line with HSENI guidance that a reassessment is needed when a workstation or how it is used changes.
DSE Assessments for Pregnant Workers
DSE assessments are also available for pregnant workers across Northern Ireland. Employers must carry out an individual risk assessment once a worker notifies them in writing that she is pregnant and review it as the pregnancy progresses. As her body changes, a workstation that suited her before may no longer fit, so the assessment looks at seating, screen position, reach and opportunities to vary posture and take breaks, with adjustments made to suit her needs.
Office Chair Selection
A DSE assessment may identify that a replacement chair is needed and give general guidance on the features it should have, but choosing a specific chair is outside its scope. Following a DSE assessment, help with choosing new chairs is available as a separate service:
Office Chair Specification Checklist, to compare chairs yourself
Office Chair Specification Review of the chairs your supplier proposes
Personalised Chair Specification Review for a named person with specific needs, such as a taller or heavier user, or someone needing a coccyx cut-out seat
This helps avoid unnecessary costs from chairs that don’t meet the user’s requirements, or chairs that are more expensive than needed.
Find out more about Ergonomic Equipment Guidance.
DSE Assessor Training Available
I also provide DSE assessor training to help your team conduct their own internal assessments.
DSE Assessment Service Area
I provide DSE assessments throughout Northern Ireland, including Belfast, Newtownards, Lisburn, Bangor, Newry, Craigavon, Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey, Holywood, Castlereagh, Armagh, Ballymena, Antrim, Portadown, Londonderry, Derry and surrounding areas.
