The next step

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Do your staff need screen break software?

Do staff need screen breaks?

You’ve heard some good stories in your time, and many of them start with, “health and safety says...”. But installing software onto your IT system to make sure staff take screen breaks seems particularly daft. Surely the very nature of most office jobs ensures that staff aren’t staring into a screen for hours on end? Even if they do, is it really a legal requirement for employers to enforce screen breaks?

In the law

Believe it or not, screen breaks are specifically mentioned in health and safety legislation. They crop up in the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 (DSE Regulations). The requirement is for employers to plan the work of staff using display screens so that there are periodic breaks or changes in activity. Screen breaks are also mentioned in the official guidance document produced by the HSE, which supports the DSE Regulations (see The next step). This states that these breaks can normally be achieved by mixing screen based, and non-screen based activities. However, it also states that if this doesn’t happen naturally, employers should take deliberate action.

So where does this software come in?

Installing screen break software counts as “deliberate action”. Although there are many different types available, the general principle is that a message pops up, or the computer freezes to prompt the user to take a break. Many manufacturers of screen break software have latched on to the fact that they are helping employers to comply with their legal obligations. However, most fail to mention that in 99% of jobs sufficient screen breaks will occur naturally.

Tip. Don’t be fooled into thinking that you have a legal duty to purchase screen break software.

What about the 1%?

There are very few jobs which require an employee to have their eyes constantly fixed on a screen. However, one that comes to mind is an air-traffic controller. But we don’t think this software is suitable for the role. The risks of the employee getting sore eyes is obviously outweighed by the fact that a distraction could cause a plane to crash! Can you imagine if the pilot heard the following: “Flight 27 alpha, you are clear... oops, sorry, screen break time, my PC has frozen.”

Out the window

But you should also consider how annoying it would be if you were right in the middle of writing a report, only to be told by your computer that it’s time to take a break - now! We think that rather than welcome software such as this, most staff would hate it. And, if they knew that you were wasting £50 per PC on it (which is roughly how much it costs), they’re unlikely to be impressed.

Tip. Instead of going to the expense and bother of installing screen break software, just ensure that managers know to prompt staff who look as though they’re developing square eyes, to take a break now and again.

For a weblink to the HSE guidance on the DSE Regulations, visit http://healthandsafety.indicator.co.uk (HS 08.08.05).