Posted By Chris Ivan there is a talk on PDA and ergonomics/DSE at IOSH South Downs group at Crawley on 3rd July, by Katherine Metters of Posturite. details at www.ioshsouthdowns.co.uk - come along!

Posted By Kieran J Duignan Cathy Appropriate ergonomic risk management guidelines for users of PDAs are substantively the same as those for users of laptops or any kind of DSE. The critical issue lies in enabling those involved to understand the nature of the root causes of interactive hazards of foreseeabke musculoskeletal injuries that arise. The foreseeable nature of the injuries require you, as the 'competent person' to advice employer and employee on the appropriate safeguards. Perfection is neither possible nor desirable in these matters. Then relax.

Posted By Philip McAleenan Cathy, I posted this advice on another thread recently concerning plagiarism, and it is useful to put is here too. To plagiarise is to present someone else’s work as you own. And this is not exactly what you want to be doing. Nor indeed do you want to advertise the fact that the organisation detailed on your e-mail might condone such practices. On a general point, as this is not the first time that posters have asked to “plagiarise” donors work, if you meant something different, such as use other people’s materials with appropriate credit acknowledged on the presentation, assessment etc. then state accurately what you want and be careful in your use terminology. Plagiarising is a serious offence that can cost the offender their job, their reputation and possibly even land them in court. Regards, Philip

Posted By Kieran J Duignan Hello Bill ... how is it psychologically possible to balance a risk (or anything else) before you assess it? If you know of reliable evidence on data about cognitive mechanisms in human minds that make such a balancing process possible, you could well make a fortune! For you have discovered something that thousands of researchers have failed to do over the last half century.

Posted By A tech SP There cannot be that many differing ways of undertaking this task, my guess is whatever you write someone else will have already written it before you! Nothing wrong in using anything in H & S that has been used befoe as long as it is suitable, sufficient and relevant for your organisation. I just view them as DSE, though whether a gas fitter logging jobs can be deemed a VDU user, operator or whatever the latest thing we call them, is a different matter, I tend to think not.

Posted By Simon Dean Just want to check (as i had this raised with RF terminal use). does 1(4 d&c) from the DSE regs not apply: (d) portable systems not in prolonged use; (e) calculators, cash registers or any equipment having a small data or measurement display required for direct use of the equipment; Si