Maximum amount of hours on a machine 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.

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

[New Judge]

It seems that you need to be concerned about more than just the number of hours you work on this machine.

Your employer has a general duty of care under Health and Safety at Work (HASAW) regulations to ensure that the facilities provided for the work you are asked to undertake are suitable and as free from the risk of injury or illness as is practically possible. Since this machine incorporates a display screen it is subject to the Display Screen Equipment (DSE) regulations which are quite specific in terms of working positions, length of time to be used, eyetests, etc. Have a look at this:

http://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/dse/faqs.htm

Measures must be taken by your employer to minimise the risks to you and a risk assessment for the processes you undertake should have been carried out. From what you say none of this seems to have taken place.

You need to have a word with your manager to discuss this. If you get nowhere (as you may well do since your employer seems to have had little regard for you wellbeing so far) you should contact the Environmental Health Department of you local council.