Health & Safety At Work

[loren1987]

I would like to know the maximum amount of hours that we are legally obliged to work on a machine that has had no risk assessment carried out. I am stuck on a scanner at work ( it’s not even my job, I am supposed to be the receptionist ) I am experiencing back, neck and shoulder tension as the machine is to the side of me and I have to keep twisting my body to face it, my desk is too low, therefore my chair has had to be lowered as low as it will possibly go, making my knees too high... the scanning machine is huge so I have to completely tilt my head back to see the screen giving me a bad neck.
My main concern is for my eyesight. I wear contact lenses but the position that the scanning machine is in, means that it is sheltering all natural light from me (from the only window) so when I finally leave the machine at the end of my working day ( after 7.5 hours) it takes me ages to focus on things.

I despise this machine with my very soul.... I have moaned and moaned and moaned about being stuck on it day in day out but am told ''it’s just a service we provide'' and we have a huge amount of demand for this work to be done.... Let me just clarify... my job title is RECEPTIONSIST, not a flaming scanner.

Any sort of advice would be brilliant. I just want it in black and white telling me the maximum hours I am forced to do per day. Thank you

[factor-fiction]

You could report the matter to your local Environmental Health Officer

[Rev Sermon]

Legally the company must do a risk assessment for this operation. This risk assessment should consider what the health hazards are and what remediating measures are needed i.e maximum working time, breaks required etc.

Usual advice is discuss with your immediate manager, if it cannot be resolved talk to someone higher and above all put it in writing. The suggestion of a compensation claim down the line is a wonderful motivater for employers.

[Androcles]

You should look at the display screen regulations:

http://www.opsi.gov.u...ksi_19922792_en_1.htm