Risk from height adjustable display screen stands in schools and other education settings

Health and Safety Executive - Safety notice

Issue

Certain motorised display screen wall mounts intended for use in schools and educational establishments are a serious risk of injury.

Use of the motorised height adjustment controls by unauthorised and untrained persons (including children and other vulnerable persons) can lead to the equipment hitting objects and or becoming unstable.
There is also a risk of crushing between the bottom edge of the display screen (or its mounting frame) and any fixed object.  

The Office for Product Safety and Standards has issued a safety report on GOV.UK for the product Conen Motorised Display Wall Mount/SCETAW. This safety notice is for users, installers and procurers in education settings, as well as manufacturers and suppliers, of this, or similar, motorised height adjustable display mounts.

Outline of the problem

HSE is aware of a problem with equipment typically used in schools for mounting interactive display screens or other AV equipment.

Stands or mounts falling forward

These stands or mounts include a motorised height adjustable riser column fixed to the floor or wall (or both), with an attached frame to which a display screen is mounted. The weight of the combined unit including the riser column, frame and screen can be significant, up to 150kg. In some designs the riser column motors are also capable of applying significant force.

HSE is aware of incidents involving this type of equipment falling forward resulting in significant impact and crushing injury to young children.

Fixings, stability, and collisions  

Risk of serious crushing or impact injury to children can arise if a fixed riser column detaches from the wall or floor and falls forward. Crushing can also happen between the bottom edge of the display screen (or its mounting frame) and any fixed object, like furniture, in the path of the motorised movement.

Risks are more likely when:

• children can access the controls
• stability relies on the floor and, or wall fixings with the centre of gravity of the combined riser column, mounting frame and display screen leaning forward  
• the means of fixing to the wall or floor are unsuitable to support the unit in normal use
• floor and wall fixings and other mounting components are damaged or overloaded - this can occur when the column motor applies significant force and there are no sensors or devices installed to limit power or detect a collision
• there are no sensors or devices installed to limit power, or detect a collision and reverse the motor (a risk of crushing between the bottom edge of the screen and fixed objects can also arise)

Overturning may also occur with mobile trolley mounted motorised height adjustable units.

Action required 

Users  and leaders in education settings

Employers and governing bodies in schools and other education settings have a legal duty to ensure that this equipment is:

• adequately risk assessed
• installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions

If you already own and use these, or similar, motorised height adjustable display screen mounts that do not include an anti-collision device or similar protective features, you should contact the machine manufacturer or your supplier for advice on whether such devices are available for retro-fitting.

You should act on any recommendations that you receive from the manufacturer or supplier to make the product safe.

Assess and manage risk

Employers must ensure that an adequate risk assessment is carried out.  
You should check that the display screen mount is:

• checked regularly to ensure fixings are in good condition, particularly after a collision or evidence of damage
• fitted with anti-collision devices which can stop or reverse the movement before significant damage or injury to people occurs
• positioned clear from objects and people to avoid collisions with the mount’s motorised moving parts
• only used by authorised people, and that controllers are kept away from children at all times

There is more information about assessing risk and the control measures you can use in the guidance introduction to machinery safety.

Installers

If you are erecting or installing display screen mounts you must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that nothing about the way in which it is erected or installed makes it unsafe for users.

You should ensure the display screen mount is:

• assembled and installed as per the manufacturer’s instructions
• fixed to a surface that is sufficiently strong enough to support the weight and prevent toppling or collapse
• not installed with floor or wall fixings used in an area where asbestos is present
• secured with the appropriate fixings

Persons specifying or purchasing equipment

If you are specifying or purchasing motorised height adjustable display screen mounts for use in education settings, you should ensure that equipment will be appropriate for use in the setting and is, so far as is reasonably practicable, safe.

Height adjustable display screen mounts featuring anti-collision devices, which will significantly reduce the risks, are readily available and HSE expects that these should normally be specified. Equipment featuring devices that limit actuating forces, or which feature controls designed to restrict height adjustment only to authorised and trained persons may also be available. Equipment that relies solely on user instructions and warnings is unlikely to be appropriate.

Further guidance on buying new machinery is available from Buying new machinery.

Manufacturers

Manufacturers and authorised representatives who place floor or wall mounted motorised height adjustable display screen mounts on the market in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) should comply with the law on the design and supply of products. This includes making sure that applicable essential health and safety requirements (sometimes known as EHSRs) are met.

You must:

• review your risk assessment to check that all hazards from intended use and reasonably foreseeable misuse (including errors in installation, unauthorised or unsupervised use by children or other vulnerable persons,  and obstructed movement) have been identified and the risks estimated and evaluated
• remove or reduce risks as far as possible by reviewing the design and construction of your product, this includes ensuring that EHSRs, relating to stability, moving parts, protective devices, and information for users are satisfied
• provide warnings and information for users when residual risks cannot be adequately reduced by inherently safe machinery design or technical protective measures
• stop placing any further products on to the market if the design or construction cannot make the product safe
• review the instructions and other information which is provided with your product to check that they are adequate
• if supplied products are found to be unsafe or non-compliant, and, or,  revisions of information and instructions are required as a result of serious risks to safety becoming known, you should take steps to contact all customers who you have supplied - inform them, and provide them with updated user instructions, warnings and information on how existing machines can be made safe) - if these customers are other businesses in the supply chain (not end users) you should ask them to pass this information on to their customers

Importers, distributors and suppliers

If you supply customers in Great Britian, as an importer or distributor for example, and you do not believe that the product is safe or that the EHSRs are not satisfied you should stop supplying the machinery and discuss the matter with the manufacturer or their authorised representative.

Reasonable checks

If you supply this kind of product, you must make reasonable checks to confirm that any floor or wall mounted motorised height adjustable display screen mounts are safe and that the manufacturer or authorised representative who is placing the machine on the market has satisfied their duties.

You should:

• look for obvious defects, such as missing or damaged guards and other safety devices or inadequately protected electric wiring
• check that known risks (including those highlighted in this notice) appear to be properly controlled or that there is information on how they can be controlled
• make sure the manufacturer has provided instructions for safe installation, use, adjustment and maintenance - these must be in English if the machinery is for UK use
• make sure that warning signs are visible and easy to understand - if in writing, they must be in English
• check machinery is accompanied by a properly completed Declaration of Conformity
• check for UKCA or CE marking

Provide information to customers

If you’ve previously supplied machines that are now found to be unsafe or non-compliant, and, or where revisions of information and instructions are required as a result of serious risks to safety becoming known, you should take steps to contact all customers you’ve supplied. Inform them and pass on updated user instructions, warnings and information on how existing machines can be made safe. If your customers are other businesses in the supply chain (not end users) you should ask them to pass this information on to their customers.

Guidance

• specific guidance for buyers, installers and users
• buying new machinery
• introduction to machinery safety
• the law on the design and supply of products
• Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations (on GOV.UK)
• The Office for Product Safety and Standards safety report (on GOV.UK)

Relevant legal documents

• The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (on legislation.gov.uk)
• Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations (on legislation.gov.uk)
• Section 6(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (on legislation.gov.uk)