Does Tesco provide me with manual handling training to do the weekly shop? Can't see the difference really.

Well, you have to look after the health and safety of people who are not employed by you as well as your employees, so to this extent you need to ensure that the desks and seating areas are ergonomically designed and meet all the criteria under the DSE Regs. However, this should be done purely for the workstation and not for any individual person. You could provide a guidance card on the desk or bench recommending correct posture, distance from the screen, etc. Once you have done this, then that really is as much as you can do. However, they do need this access to information and you do need to be able to show that you have looked at the requirements of DSE Regs and made a suitable and sufficient risk assessment. No Tesco do not do manual handling training, but they do provide trolleys in all different sizes and they tend not to put very heavy items on the top shelf. Additionally, the bags they provide and sell are only of a size that cannot be loaded beyond "reasonable" lifting capacity so they have done their risk assessments for mass safety and decided these are the best ways to combat any issues.

Refer to the FAQs on the HSE website. Althout the FAQ is about applicability of DSE Regulations to children and students, it implicitly covers members of public. It is categorical that the DSE Regulations only place duties on employers in respect of employees (or self-employed persons working in the employer's undertaking), but other health and safety law may apply. In my view, all that you need to do is a ensure that the "workstation" is ergonomically suitable and there is a means of informing the visitors how to adjust the chairs. - Do the DSE Regulations apply to children and students? Answer: No. The Regulations only place duties on employers in respect of employees (or self-employed persons working in the employer's undertaking). However, employers have more general duties under other legislation, such as the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, which requires work activities to be undertaken in a way that does not create risks to others, such as children or the public. These are supplemented by the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 which require an assessment of the risks arising from work activities, including how they affect the health and safety of others not in their employment but who may be affected by the work. These Regulations apply to many of the risks to students in a school environment that result from the school's work activities, although other non-HSE legislation concerning the welfare of students often takes precedence. http://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/faq-dse.htm

I would like to see a workstation that is "ergonomically suitable" for the entire population! And who says the chairs have to be adjustable? Accepted, the provider has a duty of care - but let's not overdo it!