Working with Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
This element focuses on understanding and mitigating health and safety risks associated with prolonged display screen equipment (DSE) use, including keyboards. Learners must demonstrate knowledge of ergonomic principles for arranging furniture and equipment to minimise physical strain, and how to organise a workstation to avoid awkward movements and repetitive strain injury. Practical application involves conducting DSE assessments and adjusting workstations to meet individual needs.
Assessment criteria
Quick Revision Summary (Key Takeaway)
The Open Awards Level 2 Award in Touch Typing (RQF) is a vocational qualification that assesses a learner's ability to type accurately and efficiently using all ten fingers without looking at the keyboard. It covers correct posture, finger placement, and speed/accuracy targets, preparing students for administrative roles where keyboard skills are essential.
Topic Overview
Touch typing is a fundamental skill for business administration, enabling efficient data entry, document production, and communication. The Open Awards Level 2 Award in Touch Typing (RQF) assesses your ability to type without looking at the keyboard, using all ten fingers, while maintaining accuracy and speed. This qualification is vocationally relevant, preparing you for real-world office tasks where keyboard proficiency is essential.
The course covers correct posture, ergonomics, finger placement, and the home row keys. You will learn to type letters, numbers, and symbols with increasing speed and accuracy. Assessment typically involves timed typing tests where you must achieve a minimum speed (e.g., 30-40 WPM) and accuracy (e.g., 95% or above). The qualification is recognised by employers and can enhance your CV for administrative roles.
Mastering touch typing not only improves your efficiency but also reduces physical strain. By developing muscle memory, you can focus on content rather than the keyboard, which is crucial in fast-paced office environments. This award is a stepping stone to higher-level business qualifications and demonstrates your commitment to professional development.
Key Concepts
Core ideas you must understand for this topic
- →Home row position: Fingers rest on ASDF for left hand and JKL; for right hand, with index fingers on F and J (which have raised bumps).
- →Correct posture: Sit up straight, feet flat, elbows at 90 degrees, wrists straight, and screen at eye level.
- →Muscle memory: Training fingers to reach keys without conscious thought, using the correct finger for each key.
- →Speed and accuracy: Measured in words per minute (WPM) and error rate; Level 2 typically requires 30-40 WPM with 95% accuracy.
- →Ergonomics: Setting up your workstation to prevent repetitive strain injury (RSI) and maintain comfort during long typing sessions.
Learning Objectives
What you need to know and understand
- 1. Know the health and safety risks from display screen equipment including keyboards 1.1 State the risks to health and safety from the use of display screen equipment including keyboards 1.2 Outline workplace controls in place to mitigate risks from display screen equipment including keyboards 1.3 Identify own responsibilities for health and safety when working with display screen equipment 2. Know how furniture and equipment should be arranged to minimise the risks from display screen equipment 2.1 Identify the correct height for:• Chairs• Desks/tables• Display screen equipment• keyboardsto minimise physical risks from the use of display screen equipment 2.2 State how adjustments can be made to meet the requirements for:• Seat height• Chair arms• Desk/table height• Display screen height• Keyboard height• Screen and keyboard angle and distance3. Know how to arrange the workplace/station to accommodate safe display screen working 3.1 State how the workstation should be organised to avoid:• Awkward movements• Repeated stretchingand minimise risks from repetitive strain injury (RSI)
Assessment Criteria
Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio
- Award credit for accurately identifying at least three health risks from DSE use, such as eye strain, repetitive strain injury (RSI), back pain, and stress.
- Award credit for clearly outlining workplace controls, e.g., DSE risk assessments, provision of adjustable furniture, regular breaks, and eye tests.
- Award credit for stating personal responsibilities, including following safe working procedures, reporting issues, and using equipment as trained.
- Award credit for correctly identifying recommended heights for chairs (seat height adjustable so thighs are horizontal), desks (allowing clearance for legs), screens (top of screen at or slightly below eye level), and keyboards (allowing wrists to remain flat).
- Award credit for describing how to adjust seat height, chair arms, desk/table height, screen height, and keyboard position/angle to suit individual needs.
- Award credit for explaining how to organise the workstation to prevent awkward movements, repeated stretching, and minimise RSI risks, such as positioning frequently used items within easy reach.
Assessment Guidance
Guidance for achieving higher grades
- 💡When answering questions on risks, always link each risk to a specific control measure to demonstrate comprehensive understanding.
- 💡Memorise the ideal height ranges and angles for key furniture items; use diagrams if allowed in written assignments to support explanations.
- 💡For practical assessments, verbalise each adjustment as you make it, explaining why it reduces risk, to show assessors your reasoning.
- 💡Remember that short, frequent breaks away from the screen are more beneficial than longer, less frequent ones—mention this when discussing controls.
- 💡Use correct terminology such as ‘repetitive strain injury’, ‘display screen equipment’, and ‘ergonomic’ to convey professional knowledge.
- 💡Practice daily for short periods (15-20 minutes) rather than long, infrequent sessions to build muscle memory effectively.
- 💡During timed tests, focus on accuracy first, then gradually increase speed. It's better to type 35 WPM with 98% accuracy than 50 WPM with 90% accuracy.
- 💡Use online typing tutors and games to make practice engaging, but always simulate exam conditions (timed, no looking at keyboard) before the actual assessment.
Common Mistakes
Common errors to avoid in your coursework
- Confusing health risks (e.g., RSI) with workplace controls (e.g., taking breaks).
- Assuming that DSE risks are only physical, overlooking issues like eye strain or mental stress.
- Believing that once a workstation is set up, it never needs readjustment; failing to consider that adjustments should be user-specific and reviewed periodically.
- Misunderstanding correct chair height: thinking feet flat on floor is the only requirement, while thigh position and seat tilt are also crucial.
- Placing the screen too high or too low, not aligning with the ‘top of screen at eye level’ rule, or ignoring distance from eyes.
- Neglecting personal responsibility by thinking that DSE safety is solely the employer’s duty, without recognising the user’s role in reporting problems and using equipment correctly.
- Misconception: Looking at the keyboard occasionally is acceptable. Correction: Touch typing requires you to keep your eyes on the screen or source text; looking down breaks concentration and slows you down.
- Misconception: Only speed matters. Correction: Accuracy is equally important; errors reduce your net WPM and can fail the assessment if error rate exceeds the limit.
- Misconception: You can use any finger to press a key. Correction: Each key has a designated finger; using the wrong finger leads to inefficiency and errors. Stick to the standard finger-key mapping.
Revision Plan
How to revise this topic in 1–2 weeks
- 1Week 1: Learn the home row keys and correct posture. Practice typing simple words using only home row letters (e.g., 'asdf', 'jkl;').
- 2Week 2: Introduce top and bottom row keys, focusing on one row at a time. Use online drills to build accuracy.
- 3Week 3: Practice typing full sentences and paragraphs, aiming for accuracy over speed. Take timed tests to measure progress.
- 4Week 4: Simulate exam conditions: 5-minute timed tests, aiming for 30+ WPM with 95% accuracy. Review errors and focus on weak keys.
- 5Final days: Take mock assessments, review common mistakes, and ensure your workstation is ergonomically set up for the real exam.
Exam Question Types
How this topic typically appears in the exam
- 📋Timed typing test: You will be given a passage to type within a set time (e.g., 5 minutes). Marks are awarded for speed and accuracy. Practice with varied texts to improve.
- 📋Multiple-choice questions: These may test your knowledge of correct finger placement, posture, or keyboard layout. Revise key concepts thoroughly.
- 📋Short-answer questions: You may be asked to explain a technique, such as how to avoid RSI. Use clear, concise language and include specific details.
- 📋Practical observation: An assessor may observe your technique during a typing task. Ensure you demonstrate correct posture and finger use.
Command Word Expectations (OPEN AWARDS)
What examiners look for when using specific command words in this specification
Provide a detailed account of a technique or concept, such as correct posture or finger placement. Include specific details and steps.
Give reasons or causes for a phenomenon, e.g., why touch typing improves efficiency. Use 'because' or 'therefore' to link ideas.
Show practical application, often in a typing test. You must perform the skill accurately and efficiently.
How Students Lose Marks (Examiner Pitfalls)
Common mark loss traps and how to write 100% full-mark answers
Step-by-Step Worked Solutions
Detailed solution breakdown for typical exam problems
Question: In a 5-minute typing test, you typed 250 words with 12 errors. Calculate your gross words per minute (WPM) and net WPM, assuming a 5-word penalty per error.
- 1.Step 1: Identify given facts: total words = 250, time = 5 minutes, errors = 12.
- 2.Step 2: Calculate gross WPM: 250 words ÷ 5 minutes = 50 WPM.
- 3.Step 3: Calculate net WPM: subtract 5 words per error from gross WPM: 50 - (12 × 5) = 50 - 60 = -10. Since net WPM cannot be negative, the result is 0 net WPM, indicating accuracy is critical.
- 4.Step 4: State final conclusion: Gross WPM is 50, but net WPM is 0 due to high error rate.
Question: Explain the correct finger placement for the keys 'E', 'I', and 'C' on a QWERTY keyboard, and describe the proper technique for pressing them.
- 1.Step 1: Identify the home row keys: left hand on A,S,D,F; right hand on J,K,L,;.
- 2.Step 2: For 'E', use the left middle finger (D finger) reaching up one row.
- 3.Step 3: For 'I', use the right middle finger (K finger) reaching up one row.
- 4.Step 4: For 'C', use the left middle finger (D finger) reaching down one row.
- 5.Step 5: Emphasise that fingers return to home row after each keystroke.
Active Recall Memory Test
Test your memory before revealing the key facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions students ask about this topic
Pass / Merit / Distinction Evidence Checklist
How your portfolio evidence is graded for OPEN AWARDS Working with Display Screen Equipment (DSE)
Every vocational unit is marked against named criteria rather than an exam percentage. Your tutor's brief lists the exact codes for this unit — here is what each band is asking you to do.
Demonstrate baseline knowledge, accurate terminology, and core practical application.
Provide detailed analysis, structured explanations, and clear workplace reasoning.
Deliver thorough evaluation, original problem solving, and fully justified recommendations.
Before You Start
Prior knowledge that will help with this topic
- •Basic computer literacy: familiarity with a QWERTY keyboard and mouse.
- •Ability to read and follow instructions in English.
- •No prior typing qualification is required, but basic keyboard familiarity is helpful.
Coursework AI Review
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Key Terminology
Essential terms to know
- 1. Know the health and safety risks from display screen equipment including keyboards 1.1 State the risks to health and safety from the use of display screen equipment including keyboards 1.2 Outline workplace controls in place to mitigate risks from display screen equipment including keyboards 1.3 Identify own responsibilities for health and safety when working with display screen equipment 2. Know how furniture and equipment should be arranged to minimise the risks from display screen equipment 2.1 Identify the correct height for:• Chairs• Desks/tables• Display screen equipment• keyboardsto minimise physical risks from the use of display screen equipment 2.2 State how adjustments can be made to meet the requirements for:• Seat height• Chair arms• Desk/table height• Display screen height• Keyboard height• Screen and keyboard angle and distance3. Know how to arrange the workplace/station to accommodate safe display screen working 3.1 State how the workstation should be organised to avoid:• Awkward movements• Repeated stretchingand minimise risks from repetitive strain injury (RSI)
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