ICT Health & Safety Issue edit
Health and Safety in ICT (Information and Communications Technology) is mostly about understanding how to work safely with computers and environments with lots of technology equipment. This can be relevant to industry and also schools. Common hazards are poor postures, incorrect chairs, glare or poor lighting, trip hazards and installation hazards. A DSE ( Display Screen Equipment ) assessment can help here. Further hazards can include cyber bullying and identity theft, which can lead to stress and ill health in some cases. As with most other health and safety, risk assessment is always the starting point. [1]
Health and Safety edit
There are a number of safety hazards linked with using computers and ICT devices. This section looks into some of these potential hazards and what you can do to prevent them. We will also look at some of the medical conditions and health problems that prolonged use of ICT devices can cause and what you can do to avoid them. There are a number of health problems that you can suffer if you use ICT devices incorrectly or for too long.[2]
The main ones are:
- Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI)
- Back and Neck Strain
- Eye Strain and Headaches
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) edit
RSI causes painful swelling of the wrist and fingers. Sufferers with really bad RSI are unable to use their hands at all. RSI is caused by doing the same small movements over and over again across a long period of time. For example, clicking a mouse button repeatedly. Computer users who type and use a mouse all day long are commonly affected.[3]
| Causes of RSI | How to prevent RSI |
|---|---|
| Typing on a computer for too long. | Take breaks to rest your hands. |
| Using a mouse for long periods. | Use an ergonomic keyboard/mouse. |
| Holding the mouse incorrectly. | Arrange your workspace so you are not cramped. |
| Working in a cramped workspace. | Use a wrist rest. |
Back and Neck Problems edit
Back ache and neck ache can cause great pain and really affect the quality of your life. Both back and neck ache can be caused by sitting incorrectly and using poor quality chairs without back rests. This is called poor posture.[4]
| Causes of back and neck ache | How to prevent back and neck ache |
|---|---|
| Working in a cramped workspace. | Take regular breaks to stretch your body. |
| Not sitting upright in your chair. | Sit upright against the back rest. |
| Incorrect positioning of the computer screen. | Keep your feet flat on the floor. |
Eye Strain and Headaches edit
Staring at a computer screen for too long can strain your eyes and cause headaches. Eye strain can cause your vision to blur. Common causes of eye strain are screen flicker and having direct light causing screen glare.[5]
| Causes of eye strain | How to prevent eye strain |
|---|---|
| Staring at a computer screen for a long time. | Take regular breaks (every hour or so). |
| Working in a room with bad lighting. | Use LCD screens rather than CRT as they have less flicker. |
| Using a computer screen with glare or flickers. | Use an anti-glare screen. |
| Dirt on the screen. | Keep the screen clean of dirt. |
Safety Issues edit
There are a number of safety issues that can arise from using ICT devices. Some of these safety issues include:
- Electrocution
- Tripping over wires
- Heavy equipment falling on you
- Fire risks
Electrocution edit
Most ICT devices require an electrical power source. Whenever you have electrical power sources you run the risk of the electrocution.[6]
| Causes of Electrocution | How to Prevent Electrocution |
|---|---|
| Faulty equipment (bare wires etc). | Make sure wires are insulated. |
| Spilling drinks over electrical equipment. | Keep drinks away from equipment. |
| Opening up an electrical device when you don't know what you're doing. | Never open up an electrical device. |
Tripping over wires and cables edit
ICT devices with wires can make a room a potential hazard. Trailing wires are easy to trip over if they are not secured or tucked away.[7]
| Causes of tripping over wires | How to prevent tripping over wires |
|---|---|
| Long wires spread across a floor. | Hide wires in cable ducts. |
| - | Tuck trailing wires under desks or carpets. |
| - | Use wireless technology to eliminate the use of wires altogether. |
Heavy equipment falling on you edit
Some ICT devices (like computer screens) are fairly heavy and can cause injury if they fall on you. Equipment should be positioned securely on strong desks and tables well away from the edge.[8]
| Causes of equipment falling | How to prevent equipment falling |
|---|---|
| Equipment not positioned securely onto desks. | Make sure that equipment is positioned away from the edge of desks. |
| Poor quality and flimsy desks. | Use strong desks/tables that can support the weight with ease. |
Fires edit
ICT devices require power from a mains outlet. If too many devices are plugged into a single mains at the same time, it is possible to overload the circuit and start an electrical fire. You need to ensure that your room has many plug sockets so you don't have to overload any single one.[9]
| Causes of fires | How to prevent fires |
|---|---|
| Too many devices plugged into a single mains outlet. | EMake sure that your room has plenty of mains outlets. |
| Leaving devices plugged in unattended for long periods. | Don't plug too many devices into the same outlet. |
| Covering air vents on devices like laptops. | Leave air vents on devices uncovered. |
References edit
- ^ https://safewell.co.uk/what-is-health-and-safety-in-ict#:~:text=Health%20and%20Safety%20in%20ICT%20(Information%20and%20Communications%20Technology)%20is,with%20lots%20of%20technology%20equipment.&text=Further%20hazards%20can%20include%20cyber,ill%20health%20in%20some%20cases.
- ^ https://www.ictlounge.com/html/health_and_safety.htm#
- ^ https://www.ictlounge.com/html/health_and_safety.htm#
- ^ https://www.ictlounge.com/html/health_and_safety.htm#
- ^ https://www.ictlounge.com/html/health_and_safety.htm#
- ^ https://www.ictlounge.com/html/health_and_safety.htm#
- ^ https://www.ictlounge.com/html/health_and_safety.htm#
- ^ https://www.ictlounge.com/html/health_and_safety.htm#
- ^ https://www.ictlounge.com/html/health_and_safety.htm#