- The back should be supported and at least 90 degrees to the seat of the chair

- The feet should be firmly on the floor therefore providing support to the body

- The knees should not be bent less than 90 degrees

- The neck should be well balanced and not leaning too far forward or back

- The arms should be as close to the body as possible and also relaxed

- The elbows should not be bent less than 90 degrees

- The wrist should be in line with your fore-arm or bent no more than 15 degrees

It is important that all workstations and equipment are adjusted to meet each individual employees' requirements as the recommended posture will be achieved differently with respect to people's unique body frames.

e) Using Visual Display Units (VDU) and Eye Tests

Many employers are unaware that eye tests have to be provided on request by the employee or in certain cases where VDU are being used. This request has been given full backing by the law that is stated in the Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations, 1992.

Your concerns as an employer should be to provide any employee with an eye test (by a competent person) if they are to use a VDU which is not usually an integral part of their job. The test should be given as soon as possible AND before the employee begins to use such equipment. If the employee is to continue using a VDU, then you should provide them with eyesight tests periodically.

As we said, an employee can request an eyesight test if they believe that they are having visual problems that are being caused by using a VDU. If the tests shows that corrective eyesight equipment is needed, say, glasses or screen magnifiers, then it is your responsibility to provide.

To reduce the risk of eyestrain when using a VDU, the recommended distance to view a screen is at 28 inches or more. One thing that few people realize is that (although not proven to a high degree) the magnetic fields of a VDU can be harmful to us. It is therefore important that all employees have a distance of at least 48 inches between themselves and the back/sides of neighbouring VDUs. You should also realize that magnetic fields can penetrate through walls.

f) Machinery Safety

If your business uses machinery in the premises, then they can possess a high degree of risk to Health & Safety if not used and installed properly. The extent that this issue can go to is extremely wide and therefore it will be hard for this article to bring justice to the subject. As a result, we will only cover the main issues that should be considered when using machinery.

When you first purchase a piece of machinery, you should check that it has a recognized safety mark and secondly, you should obtain any licenses that may be needed to use such machinery. Further, you should consult an expert to acknowledge that the piece of machinery is installed properly and that the environment in which it is to be used is acceptable. This may have specific concern to its isolation so that there is a safe distance between the user and the people that work close by.

It is your responsibility that all employees are fully trained on how to use the machinery and the consequences of its miss-use. It is further important that the machinery is checked before use and also that periodic checks are made by yourself (or a competent person) to ensure the continued safety of its users. This will mean financing the budget for regular maintenance.

g) Work Related Stress

Visit our extensive article on this subject: Managing Stress at Work

We have to appreciate that there is a considerable difference between 'stress' and 'pressure': It is therefore important that you recognize stress is the main cause leading to poor health before you act. Pressure is usually a short-term thing for, say, meeting a deadline and is a healthy issue that we benefit from because we get things done. Stress, on the other hand, is recognized when someone is constantly feeling the pressure of work (even in the simplest of tasks) and consequently develops poor health. Stress can also be brought in from outside of work (family issues being the major cause) that can start or even add to the work stress problem.

Many employers do not consider stress as a big concern, but it is in fact a serious threat to the sufferer's health and can have damaging consequences. In the UK, it is estimated that over 20% of employees suffer from stress related illness which results in nearly seven million working days being lost every year. This time is also paid for by the business and consequently society loses around £4 Billion each year.

Stress can cause heart problems, poor mental health, migraines, dizziness, and disorders such as alcohol abuse, smoking and irregular eating patterns. As a result, the performance of employees can be reduced, they can take days off sick, and even be inspired to search for alternative employment.

It is your duty to give your employees the confidence to approach you when they are suffering from stress so that a solution can be arranged. The way you deal with the issue may be determined by a mutual agreement but common solutions include sharing the workload with others or extending deadlines, etc. Be aware, spotting whether your staff, or you, have stress is not easy and admitting it may be the most difficult thing of all.

Visit our extensive article on this subject: Managing Stress at Work

h) Temperature

The temperature in a workplace will vary with the type of industry you are in but we will outline the limits for the general small office. The importance of the temperature is that it provides people with the comfort they need when working and is a legal requirement that states that the temperature during working hours should be 'reasonable'. This is considered as anything ranging between 13 - 30 degrees Celsius and should allow people to work without having to wear special clothes to adapt to the temperature.

The average temperature is suggested at 16 degrees Celsius unless the work done involves physical actions in which case, a cooler temperature of 13 degrees Celsius is recommended. It is therefore your responsibility to provide measures that can provide such temperatures for example, central heating, window shades or electrical fans.

i) First Aid Kits

A first aid kit is required by all businesses. By law, you must provide adequate and appropriate equipment to allow first aid to be given to employees that become injured or ill at work.

There are no mandatory contents for first aid equipment, although the minimum is generally accepted to be a properly stocked first aid box. In the event of an accident you could be liable if your first aid equipment was seen to be insufficient. A standard first aid kit normally costs between £20 and £40. Information on first aid for businesses is available from the Health and Safety Executive - click here.

j) Smoke Detectors

Smoke and gas detectors provide an early warning when a potential fire exists; they are essential safety equipment in all homes, and should be in businesses as well. They range from around £7 for a standard alarm to £25 for a 10 year battery life smoke alarm. Some smoke alarms also come with a light that switches on when smoke is detected.