DSE workstation assessment template: record, review and close actions

A DSE workstation assessment is a review of a particular user's display screen work, workstation and needs, followed by action on risks found. A tick-box form alone does not complete the employer's task. The employer needs to identify who is a DSE user, gather information about the equipment and work, have a trained assessor review the findings, decide what to change, and check that the changes worked. This copyable template is a management record for that sequence. Use it alongside the HSE's free DSE workstation checklist, which gives the detailed equipment questions and is the authoritative starting checklist.

This template applies to Great Britain. HSE says a worker is a DSE user for these purposes when they use display screen equipment daily, as part of normal work, for continuous periods of an hour or more. Employers must assess such users' workstations and reduce identified risks. The assessment should include the whole workstation, the work being done and individual requirements. It is relevant to office, home, hybrid, mobile and hot-desk arrangements where the rules apply. Do not assume an occasional screen user requires the same formal DSE process. See HSE's overview and assessment guidance.

The live Complys DSE workstation checker is an indicative self-check. It does not claim to replace a completed employer assessment. This page has a different task: a copyable record for a named worker, assessor, actions and follow-up. The DSE assessment software page is the commercial owner for managed workflows. Check its current implementation and claims before using it as a publication-approved product link.

When to create or revisit the assessment

Start when a new DSE user begins, a new workstation is set up, or the way a workstation is used changes. Reassess when a user reports pain or discomfort, when equipment or work patterns change, or when earlier controls may no longer be effective. HSE does not impose one universal annual reassessment interval; choose a review trigger and sensible local schedule based on the actual circumstances. For a hybrid worker, cover both the office and home setup rather than assuming one record describes both. HSE says a home worker may complete a trained self-assessment; a physical home visit is not normally necessary, but the employer must act on the findings. See HSE's home-working guidance.

Before sharing the form, tell the worker why the assessment is being done, how to report discomfort or changes, and whom to contact. Keep any health information in an appropriate restricted process; this template does not ask for a diagnosis. If a worker has a disability or another individual need, the assessor should involve them and obtain suitable advice where needed. A standard chair or screen adjustment may not resolve an individual issue.

Copyable DSE workstation assessment form

Replace every bracketed entry. Attach the completed HSE CK1 checklist or another competent equipment assessment where appropriate. For a hybrid worker, use separate location records or clearly distinguish the setups in each answer. A worker can supply information, but a trained assessor must review the result, resolve doubtful points, give feedback and ensure actions are completed. That is HSE's stated boundary for both paper and software assessments.

A. Identity, scope and review

Do not turn an approximate screen-time answer into a false legal threshold. The question is whether DSE is used daily as part of normal work for continuous periods of at least an hour, and what risks arise from the real tasks. Record the worker's actual pattern, then explain the employer's decision. A shared hot desk or mobile setup may need an assessment approach covering the range of workstations used, plus a practical self-check when the user changes location.

B. Workstation and task findings

Use the HSE checklist for detailed prompts on keyboard, mouse/trackball, screen, software, furniture and the work environment. This summary records what was found and where the supporting answers sit. Write “not applicable” with a reason; do not use a blanket “satisfactory” entry to conceal a problem.

Ask the worker what happens during a typical day, not just how the desk looks in a photograph. Is the laptop used for long writing tasks without a practical keyboard and screen arrangement? Does a document holder reduce repeated neck turning? Do calls, data entry or multiple applications dictate a fixed posture for long periods? Can the worker take a change of activity? HSE's detailed checklist and posture guidance should guide adjustment. There is no universal equipment shopping list: the chosen control depends on the person and task.

C. Risk decision and action register

State the problem and control in usable terms. “Ergonomics training” does not fix screen glare caused by a desk facing a window. “Provide equipment” does not show what was provided, whether it fits, or whether the worker can use it. If the worker reports pain, discomfort or an unmet individual need, record the issue and refer it through the employer's appropriate health or occupational-health process. Do not record a medical diagnosis in a broadly shared assessment.

The employer must reduce risks identified by the assessment. Where the home assessment identifies a need for additional DSE equipment, HSE says the worker cannot be charged for it. There may be several reasonable controls; document why the selected one addresses the identified issue and verify it after use. If a control depends on procurement or an external specialist, name an interim measure and due date rather than marking the risk closed prematurely.

D. Work routine, information and support

The workstation form is only one part of DSE management. HSE says employers must plan work so that DSE users take breaks or changes of activity, provide information and training, and provide an eye test when a user asks for one. Do not promise that a particular break interval is a universal legal requirement. Explain the actual work arrangement and give the worker a straightforward route to request support. Where an eye test is requested, follow HSE's eyesight guidance and the employer's policy.

E. Assessor review and close-out

“Closed” should mean the assessor has checked the actions and addressed the problem, not that the worker clicked submit. A worker acknowledgement confirms receipt and participation; it does not transfer the employer's duty. Record any unresolved issue as open with an owner and next step. If the worker continues to report discomfort after an adjustment, reopen the issue and consider appropriate further advice. HSE specifically warns that software alone is not an assessment; a trained assessor must review user results and make sure problems are put right.

Worked example: hybrid worker with two different setups

A worker uses DSE daily at an office desk and at home on two fixed days. At home, they use a laptop on a kitchen table for long document editing sessions. They report neck discomfort. The office workstation has a separate monitor and adjustable chair. A single tick against “screen” would miss the location difference. The assessment records each setup, the worker's feedback, a trained assessor's review and a specific home action. The assessor considers a suitable arrangement for screen height, input devices and seating, plus changes to work routine. The action register names who will arrange any equipment, when the worker receives guidance, and when the assessor will check whether the discomfort or awkward posture has improved. The form stays open until that check occurs. This is an illustrative scenario, not a prescribed kit list or medical conclusion.

Common assessment failures

• Using the online checker as final approval. A self-check can surface issues, but HSE expects trained-assessor review and action closure.
• Reusing one record for different locations. Home and office conditions can differ; a hybrid assessment must cover both.
• Marking “no risk” without asking about the job. Task duration, software, documents, calls and breaks matter as well as furniture.
• Closing on purchase order. Verify the equipment or adjustment is installed, usable and effective.
• Treating a form as a medical record. Record functional concerns and a referral route; control access to sensitive information.
• Assuming a fixed annual rule. Record review triggers from change, new users and discomfort, and use a sensible local schedule.

Internal links and Complys boundary

The indicative Complys DSE workstation checker may help a worker notice issues; it must not be described as a completed employer assessment. The DSE assessment software page is the commercial destination if its current implementation and whole-page claims pass independent verification. Link to it as an option for managing assessment records and follow-up only after that check. This template is usable in a simple document or existing employer system; no Complys purchase is required to use the blank form. The next step is to collect worker input, attach HSE's detailed checklist, have a trained assessor review it, and close the action register.

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