A VDU (Visual Display Unit) assessment is the same thing as a DSE (Display Screen Equipment) assessment — VDU is the older term still used in some Irish workplaces and documentation. It is a structured evaluation of a screen-based workstation and the user's posture, equipment and work patterns, carried out to meet the employer's duties under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (SI 299/2007). "DSE" is the term used in the current Regulations; "VDU" survives from earlier guidance. If a supplier or employer refers to a VDU assessment, they mean a DSE assessment.
The shift from "VDU" to "DSE" reflects the move from the original 1990s display-screen guidance to the consolidated 2007 General Application Regulations. The duties are unchanged; only the terminology was updated.
If you are searching for a "VDU assessor course" or "VDU assessment Ireland", the modern equivalent is a DSE assessor course or DSE assessment.
Reviewed by our specialist ergonomics team. Last updated 11 June 2026.
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