How do health and safety guidelines affect the use of IT?

Answer 1

Health and safety legislationIf you use a computer as part of your job either at work or at home, find out about the safe way to use it and how to avoid potential problems. Your employer also has certain responsibilities under health and safety regulations.

Safe computer use

Many people use computers or visual display units (VDUs) as part of their job. Most suffer no ill-effects. VDUs don't give out harmful levels of radiation and rarely cause skin complaints.

If you use one and suffer ill-effects it may be because of the way you are using the computer. For example, you might suffer from strain in the back of the hand due to excessive 'mouse' clicking, or stress or neckache if you use a VDU without a break for a long time. Problems like these can be avoided by a well-designed workstation and job.

Two of the most important pieces of health and safety legislation affecting educational establishments across the UK are the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. These set the standards that must be met to ensure the health and safety of all employees and others who may be affected by any work activity. Other regulations also exist to cover work activities that carry specific risks, for example lifting and carrying, computer work and electricity.

The main piece of legislation affecting the management of health and safety in educational establishments across all sectors is the Health and Safety at Work, etc Act 1974 (HSWA). This Act provides a framework for ensuring the health and safety of all employees in any work activity. It also provides for the health and safety of anyone who may be affected by work activities in eg pupils/students and visitors to educational sites, including parents and contractors.

Law

The number of computers in the workplace has increased rapidly over the last few years and it is now quite normal for most staff in voluntary organisations to be exposed to computer usage. The Health and Safety at Work Act lays down legal standards for computer equipment and requires employers to take steps to minimise risks for all workers. Workers have received substantial damages for injuries caused through use of computers where the employer could have foreseen the risk but did nothing about it.

Answer 2

Health and safety guidelines have little, if any, impact on the use of information technology except for when setting and maintaining IT infrastructures. Health and safety guidelines are almost the same as to those of electrician when it comes to IT professionals. You have to be really careful with shocks and using the right circuits. There are also fire hazards that they would have to look into.