Reply to: Health and Safetly Issues

[Miss Ellie]

Go and talk to your hiring person and whoever else you may need to ( facilities or HR) and inform them that you are bringing in your own stuff so you can work without difficultly i.e. book or other solid structure to lift your monitor up, screen shield for the glare. Say they can inspect it if they want. Also put your company name on it in permanent marker/tippex to make it clear that it's not their equipment.

If they are difficult follow your request up with emails to the same people, on your email ensure you put in the words "The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992" and mention that you are stuffing from neck ache and eye strain.

Most companies are not difficult if they don't have to pay for it and you are not altering their equipment. Unless you are very tall or have a recognised back problem (i.e. been to the doctor) then you are not likely to need a chair.

If they are really difficult then you are going to have to consider leaving them. However before you do so you need to ensure you have told them a lot (hence the emails), seen a doctor (and told them this in writing), seen an optician (and told them this in writing) and a lawyer to ensure you can claim compensation for their breach of contract.

Before I got into this IT lark about 10 years ago I worked in facilities doing stuff for VDU assessements. The company, a bank, would have got sued by some employees if the employees' union hadn't got involved because they failed to take them seriously over this.

[Troll]

I have started a new contract and have to work on site. I have a crap chair and a bright light glaring into my eyes and the desk is so low it gives me a back ache, making the work situation impossible. It cetainly does not meet standard health and safety/ ergonimics. I have asked several times for someone to look at fixing itm but nothing has happened.

As you can tell, I am something of a fragile beast, not built for the strains of office work. . I have already finished a packet of pain killers just to be able to remain at my desk for the past few days. If I was permie I would certainly shout out about it and would consider taking time off sick until it was sorted out. But, being self employed, I don't have the option.

Anyone any ideas as to how I stand in getting this sorted out? Does the client have the same responsibilities to me as to a normal employee?

Delicate little wallflower aren't you?

[vetran]

OOPS sorry

Wrong forum.

I'll use my CUK posting template

It's the (Delete as appropiate) Immigrants, New Labour, House Prices, NeoCon conspirancy, weather.

It didn't (delete as appropiate) Happen in my day, happen when Maggie was in power, make any sense, need to have happen if they had hired a contractor.

I would (delete as appropiate) ask for pictures, enquire about anal fisting, pop in my time machine and sleep with Pussy Galore, correct spelling and grammar, check bottom sizes.


HTH

[tim123]

And you would have to prove it was yours when you try and remove it from the premises at the end of the contract.

Speaking as someone who also suffers with this problem. If it's a choice of writting off the cost of a chair or not working for six months whilst I recuperate, there is no competition.

Fortunately, the current client supplied a nice chair and all I will have to argue over is then ownership of: keyboard, wrist-rest, padded mouse mat and the book that raises up the (supplied) screen.

tim

[ASB]

They don't have the same reponsibilities

Not directly no, but they still have the same effective responsibilities. H+S extends to everybody using the facilities whether employees, contractors, customers or the local travelling circus.

[Generalist]

You leave the chair at the office, not travel up with it each day

THAT explains why you bought 2 chairs . In practice though many firms would not allow you to provide your own chair on health & safety grounds. It might not conform to EU standards for office furniture and if someone else sat on it and somehow injured themselves you could be liable. And you would have to prove it was yours when you try and remove it from the premises at the end of the contract.

[ChimpMaster]

There's always the one who has to post something useful and/or serious....

[vetran]

Clients responsibility extends to self employed which can include contractors

http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1992/Uksi_19922792_en_1.htm


e) "workstation" means an assembly comprising-

• (i) display screen equipment (whether provided with software determining the interface between the equipment and its operator or user, a keyboard or any other input device),

• (ii) any optional accessories to the display screen equipment,

• (iii) any disk drive, telephone, modem, printer, document holder, work chair, work desk, work surface or other item peripheral to the display screen equipment, and

• (iv) the immediate work environment around the display screen equipment.
  
  
  

2.—(1) Every employer shall perform a suitable and sufficient analysis of those workstations which-

• (a) (regardless of who has provided them) are used for the purposes of his undertaking by users; or

• (b) have been provided by him and are used for the purposes of his undertaking by operators,

for the purpose of assessing the health and safety risks to which those persons are exposed in consequence of that use.


(3) The employer shall reduce the risks identified in consequence of an assessment to the lowest extent reasonably practicable.


So it may be wise to have a chat with them and ask to supply your own equipment if necessary.

[MarillionFan]

"Taking one's own chair would be interesting if commuting by rail"

You leave the chair at the office, not travel up with it each day
Generalist I bet you're a card to work with.

[Generalist]

I have so say I have put up with some crap chairs/desks this year. Always placed in the middle of nowhere, and I have suffered from really bad back & neck pain this year.

I have just bought two new office chairs, one of which pedantically I will take with me on my next contract.

Taking one's own chair would be interesting if commuting by rail - one the one hand it would guarantee a seat on the train, but it is likely that SE Trains have a similar policy to that for bikes i.e. not in the rush hour unless it can be folded.

I had to sit opposite a fat ugly woman who was an absolute ahole AND I had an uncomfortable chair AND a bright light - I left and have not had a headache since. Mind you I'm not working at the moment either!

[MarillionFan]

I have so say I have put up with some crap chairs/desks this year. Always placed in the middle of nowhere, and I have suffered from really bad back & neck pain this year.

I have just bought two new office chairs, one of which pedantically I will take with me on my next contract.

[ChimpMaster]

You're a supplier ... you've been given a gig ... be happy and work for the money for as long as you can get it. I have to sit opposite an ugly woman all day, who also happens to be our team project manager. Should I complain about that?

The more you complain about minor things, the quicker you'll get terminated. Hasta la vista, baby.

[dork]

Bring in your own chair and laptop and move to a part of the office that's more comfortable? If they don't like it, then they'll have to listen to your concerns.

If only I could... this company (a bank) is so locked down and tied up with red tape... it took a week and special forms and persuasion to even get internet access.

[XLMonkey]

They don't have the same reponsibilities, unless your contract is within IR35. The responsibility for complying with Health and Safety regulations rests with YourCo, not with the customer.

But with that said, most companies have policies regarding subcontractors that usually include requiring that when on site they operate to the same health and safety standards as permanent employees. So, I suggest you look up the clients Subcontractor Policy and then use that with your client to get them to take some action.

[/Fleetwood]
Safety
certainly
ergonomics
it
[/end Fleetwood]

[Cowboy Bob]

Anyone any ideas as to how I stand in getting this sorted out?

Bring in your own chair and laptop and move to a part of the office that's more comfortable? If they don't like it, then they'll have to listen to your concerns.