Ergonomics & Workplace Design

We assess physical workspaces, workstation layouts, and equipment design to reduce musculoskeletal injury risk, meet UK legal requirements, and create working environments that support sustained human performance.

Every engagement is led by Dr. Chizaram Dagogo-Nwankwo, Chartered Ergonomist (C.ErgHF, CIEHF). Ergonomics is the discipline Dr. Chizaram is credentialled in at Chartered level. It is not an add-on to our human factors work. It is its foundation.

What workplace ergonomics actually covers

Ergonomics is the scientific study of the relationship between people and the systems they work within, with specific attention to designing work to fit the person rather than requiring the person to adapt to the work. In practice, this covers three overlapping domains.

Physical ergonomics addresses the body: posture, manual handling, repetitive movements, force, vibration, and the physical dimensions of workstations and equipment. Most musculoskeletal disorders in UK workplaces originate here.

Cognitive ergonomics addresses the mind: mental workload, attention, decision-making under pressure, and the design of information displays and controls. This overlaps with our Human Factors in Design and Digital Systems service for technology-intensive environments.

Organisational ergonomics addresses work structure: shift design, job rotation, work pace, rest breaks, and the organisational conditions that determine whether physical and cognitive demands remain within safe limits.

A workstation assessment that looks only at desk height and screen position is addressing a small fraction of what ergonomics covers. An ergonomics consultancy that holds Chartered status assesses all three domains, applies published standards, and produces findings that hold up under HSE scrutiny.

The scale of the problem in UK workplaces

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common category of work-related ill health in Great Britain. In 2024/25, they accounted for 28% of all work-related ill health cases. Over 7.7 million working days were lost to MSDs in that year alone.

The HSE has named MSD prevention as a 2026 inspection priority. For office-based employers, the focus is on Display Screen Equipment (DSE) assessment compliance and the adequacy of home-working arrangements. For manufacturing and industrial employers, the focus is on manual handling, repetitive task design, and vibration exposure. Both are areas where the gap between legal obligation and actual practice in UK SMBs is significant.

Who needs this service

1. Office and hybrid employers
   The Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 require employers to carry out workstation assessments for DSE users, reduce identified risks, and provide eye and eyesight tests on request. These obligations apply to home workers as well as office workers. For employers who moved staff to hybrid or fully remote working and haven't revisited their DSE assessments since, the legal duty remains in place regardless of where the screen is located.
2. SMBs setting up new premises or refitting existing ones
   A workplace design assessment at the fit-out stage costs a fraction of what it costs to modify a workspace after construction. Desk layouts, floor loading, storage positioning, walkway widths, lighting levels, and welfare facilities all affect MSD risk and can be specified correctly from the start if ergonomics input is included in the brief.
3. Manufacturing, warehousing, and industrial operators
   Manual handling injuries are the single largest cause of MSDs in non-office environments. The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 require employers to avoid hazardous manual handling where reasonably practicable and, where it cannot be avoided, to carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment and reduce the risk. Most assessments carried out internally use the HSE's MAC (Manual Handling Assessment Chart) tool; few go beyond it to examine task design, equipment selection, and work organisation.
4. Healthcare organisations
   Patient handling is one of the highest-risk manual handling categories in any sector. Community and residential care settings, hospitals, and private clinics all carry significant MSD risk to staff. An independent ergonomics assessment of patient handling tasks, equipment provision, and care environment layout identifies risks that in-house assessments tend to normalise.
5. High-hazard operations with physical task demands
   Oil and gas, chemical, water utilities, and energy facilities where maintenance tasks, confined space access, and equipment operation place significant physical demands on workers. Ergonomics assessment of maintenance task design and tool selection reduces both injury risk and the error potential introduced by physical fatigue.
6. Organisations following a cluster of MSD-related absence or injury
   Where absence data or injury records show a pattern of MSD-related claims in a particular area or role, an independent ergonomics assessment identifies the common physical exposures and provides an evidence base for targeted intervention.

What our ergonomics consultancy includes

1. Workstation and DSE assessments
   Individual workstation assessments carried out against the requirements of the Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 and the HSE's DSE guidance. Covers screen positioning, input device layout, seating, lighting, reflections, and working posture. Written assessment records provided for each workstation assessed. For employers with large numbers of DSE users, we provide assessor training so that initial assessments can be completed internally with expert oversight.
2. Home and hybrid working ergonomics assessments
   Remote workstation assessments carried out via video consultation or site visit. Reviews the home working environment against DSE regulations and HSE home working guidance. Provides written recommendations specific to the individual's equipment, furniture, and space constraints.
3. Manual handling task assessment
   Assessment of manual handling tasks against the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992. Applies the HSE's MAC tool for load handling, the RULA (Rapid Upper Limb Assessment) and REBA (Rapid Entire Body Assessment) tools for posture analysis, and the ART (Assessment of Repetitive Tasks) tool for repetitive upper limb work. Identifies tasks that exceed recommended limits and recommends task redesign, mechanical assistance, or organisational controls.
4. Workplace layout and design review
   Assessment of workplace layout against ergonomics principles and applicable standards. Covers workstation dimensions, reach zones, clearances, traffic flow, materials storage, and the physical environment (lighting, noise, temperature, vibration). Applied at new-build or fit-out stage to influence design, or post-occupation to identify and prioritise improvement.
5. Vibration and noise exposure assessment support
   Assessment support under the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 (hand-arm and whole-body vibration) and the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005. Identifies exposure levels relative to the Exposure Action Values and Exposure Limit Values set in the regulations and recommends control measures.
6. Return-to-work and occupational health ergonomics
   Ergonomics assessment for employees returning to work following musculoskeletal injury, surgery, or long-term absence. Identifies workplace adjustments that allow safe return, documents reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 where relevant, and liaisons with occupational health providers where required.

Why Chartered Ergonomist status matters

In the UK, the title Chartered Ergonomist and Human Factors Professional (C.ErgHF) is granted by the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF). It is the only protected professional title in this field in the UK. Holding it requires demonstrated competence across physical, cognitive, and organisational ergonomics, underpinned by academic qualification and assessed professional practice.

A DSE assessment carried out by an untrained employee satisfies the letter of the Display Screen Equipment Regulations in the same way that an informal workplace inspection satisfies the letter of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations. Both meet the minimum threshold. Neither produces the quality of assessment that identifies the risks that actually cause harm.

When an MSD claim is made or an HSE inspection takes place, the quality of the ergonomics assessment on file determines what the employer can point to as evidence of competent risk management. An assessment by a Chartered Ergonomist carries a weight that a self-assessment completed via an online tool does not.

Frequently asked questions

Are DSE assessments a legal requirement for all employees?
The Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 apply to workers who use display screen equipment as a significant part of their normal work. The HSE's guidance indicates this typically means workers who use DSE for continuous periods of an hour or more each day. Self-employed workers are not covered but the duty applies to employees including home workers and hybrid workers using their own equipment.

How often should workstation assessments be repeated?
When a DSE user reports discomfort or a health issue related to their workstation, when there is a significant change to their workstation setup (new chair, new desk, different location), when the nature of the tasks changes significantly, and when they move to a new workplace. There is no fixed statutory frequency beyond these trigger events, but a periodic review every two to three years is good practice.

What is the difference between a DSE assessment and a full ergonomics assessment?
A DSE assessment covers the workstation used by a specific individual for display screen work. A full ergonomics assessment covers the full range of tasks performed in a role or an area, including non-DSE tasks, and assesses the physical environment, work organisation, and task design alongside the workstation. For office workers whose DSE work is their primary activity, a good DSE assessment covers most of the relevant risks. For roles involving significant physical activity or mixed tasks, a broader ergonomics assessment is more appropriate.

Can ergonomics assessments be carried out remotely?
DSE and home-working assessments can be carried out via video consultation in most cases, using a structured format that allows the assessor to observe the worker's setup and posture in real time. Physical workplace assessments and manual handling assessments require a site visit. The appropriate method is discussed and agreed at the scoping stage.

What qualifications should an ergonomics assessor have?
For basic DSE assessments, the HSE does not specify a qualification level, though it requires the assessor to be competent. For complex ergonomics work, including manual handling assessment, workplace design, and occupational health ergonomics, a Chartered Ergonomist (C.ErgHF, CIEHF) has the highest level of recognised professional competence in the UK. For specialist applications such as medical device ergonomics or control room design, sector-specific experience alongside Chartered status is the appropriate benchmark.

Book an ergonomics consultation

If your business needs workstation assessments, a manual handling review, or an independent ergonomics assessment of a new or existing workspace, start with a free 30-minute consultation.