A DSE (Display Screen Equipment) assessment is a structured analysis of an employee's workstation and screen-based work. It considers the display, input devices, chair, work surface, immediate environment and work organisation, then records risks and the actions required to address them. In Ireland, employers' duties are set out in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (SI 299/2007). HSA guidance says the analysis must be completed by a competent person and documented; employee consultation is important, but a software package or self-assessment alone is not sufficient.
A DSE assessment is sometimes called a workstation assessment or VDU assessment. The legal basis is the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007, specifically the Display Screen Equipment chapter (SI 299/2007). It applies to employers in Ireland whose employees are "DSE users" — staff who use display screens as a significant part of their normal work.
A typical assessment covers the workstation, the tasks completed there, the equipment and immediate environment, and the way the employee uses them. HSA guidance says the analysis should be documented, should record issues and an action plan, and that a copy should be given to the employee for follow-up.
Irish DSE rules do not set a universal annual, two-year or three-year expiry. A further analysis is required when an employee transfers to a new workstation or significant new work equipment, a change of equipment or new technology is introduced. The wider workplace risk assessment must also be reviewed after a significant change or where there is reason to believe it is no longer valid.
Usafety glossary. Last updated 28 August 2026.
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