Professionalism and Personal Skills

1. Professionalism and Personal Skills Lecture 8: Ergonomics, Computers and Health and Safety

2. Professionalism and Personal Skills Objectives • By the end of this lecture the student should – • Understand the importance of Ergonomics • Appreciate the importance of the Proposals of Rights Campaign • Appreciate the relevant legislation • Appreciate the importance of the Council Directive

3. Professionalism and Personal Skills Introduction • Ergonomics • Background • HASAWA • COSHH Regulations • H&S in the factory and the office • Proposals of Rights Campaign • Trade Unions and VDUs • The Council Directive • Summary and Further Reading

4. Professionalism and Personal Skills Overview • Legislation has been introduced to protect data privacy (Data Protection Act) and to control the misuse of computers. (Computer Misuse Act) • The bona fide user of computers was, however, unprotected, and was subject to working in poor conditions which could lead to injury • In this lecture, we address these issues and look at current directives

5. Professionalism and Personal Skills Ergonomics • “The study of the efficiency of persons in their working environment” (Concise Oxford Dictionary) • Is concerned with ensuring that a person can work efficiently through – • Posture • Heating • Lighting etc • In short, that the man-machine interface isoptimised • Famous Case - The Cranford Man

6. Professionalism and Personal Skills Background • 1970s H&S became a major issue • 1974 Health & Safety at Work Act (HASAWA) became law • 1977 Amendments to HASAWA • 1980s H&S became a major topic of concern- Visual Display Units (VDUs) • 1983 Health & Safety Executive (HSE)

7. Professionalism and Personal Skills Background • 1985 A VDU Worker’s Rights Campaign launched • 1989 COSHH regulations law • 1990 29th May EEC produced a directive (No. L156/14) on the minimum health and safety requirements for work with Display Screen Equipment

8. Professionalism and Personal Skills HASAWA 1974 • The Act itself • The 1977 amendments • Other legislation • Conclusions

9. Professionalism and Personal Skills COSHH Regulations and Computers • Control of Substances Hazardous to Health act 1989 • How does it affect computing? • What should you do?

10. Professionalism and Personal Skills H & S in the Factory • The effect of computers in this area • 1 Creativity • 2 Mental rather than physical fatigue • 3 Rapid response required • 4 Shift work • 5 Absenteeism

11. Professionalism and Personal Skills H & S in the Factory • Warr & Wall (1975) identify the following jobs as being particularly prone to stress – • 1 Repetitive, fast strenuous production line work • 2 Tense, responsible contracted work • 3 Work which involves conflicting demands from above and below (e.g. Foremen) • “All these areas of work are being significantly affected by information technology; therefore increased stress can be expected”(Rowe, P74)

12. Professionalism and Personal Skills H & S in the Factory • Work monitoring and Pacing • Alternative design

13. Professionalism and Personal Skills H & S in the Office (Some principles apply to the factory too) • H & S Issues in the Office • Common Complaints • Pregnancy and VDUs • Management Views • Ergonomics • Job Satisfaction

14. Professionalism and Personal Skills Proposals of Rights Campaign • 1 hour limit on continuous work at VDUs, followed by a 15 minute break and a maximum of 4 hours VDU work per day • Compulsory shielding of all terminals to eliminate electromagnetic radiation • The right of VDU users to transfer to other work while pregnant • Design requirements in offices to minimise “Visual, Postural and Ergonomic Stress” • Regular eyesight and medical checks

15. Professionalism and Personal Skills Trade unions and VDUs • The 1985 VDU workers right campaign • New Technology Agreements • TUC Concerns

16. Professionalism and Personal Skills The Council Directive • “The use as such of the equipment must not be a source of risk for workers”

17. Professionalism and Personal Skills The Council Directive (cont) • What is covered? – • 1 Equipment • 2 Environment • 3 Operator/Computer Interface

18. Professionalism and Personal Skills Summary • Ergonomics • Background • HASAWA • COSHH Regulations • H + S in the Factory and the Office • Proposals of Rights Campaign • Trade Unions and VDUs • The Council Directive

19. Professionalism and Personal Skills Compulsory Further Reading Rowe: Pages 73 - 75, 85 – 92, + see index for IT and H&S Council Directive and distributed HSE Publications

20. Professionalism and Personal Skills Objectives • Understand the importance of Ergonomics • Appreciate the importance of the Proposals of Rights Campaign • Appreciate the relevant legislation • Appreciate the importance of the Council Directive