Home Office UK: Desk Fit and Accessory Checklist

The HSE checklist considers the screen, keyboard, pointing device, furniture and surrounding environment together. Use it to identify the issue rather than treating one accessory as an ergonomic cure. For employed work, discuss the assessment and any necessary equipment with the person responsible for workplace arrangements.

Measure desk depth with the keyboard, mouse and monitor in their intended positions. Include room to move the pointing device and open drawers without hitting the chair. Check whether a monitor arm needs clearance behind the desk and whether its clamp fits the desktop thickness and shape.

Compare the supported device size and load with your actual laptop or screen. For a monitor mount, check the fixing pattern, desk attachment and adjustment range. A laptop raised for viewing may call for separate input devices; assess the complete arrangement instead of choosing the stand in isolation.

Try the desk in the conditions in which you normally work. A lamp can illuminate paperwork but also reflect in a display. Check adjustability, the footprint of the base, controls you can reach and the cable route. Avoid judging brightness solely from a staged product photograph.

List the devices that need power and check the connections each requires. Leave access to plugs and avoid pinching cables under furniture. Read the charger instructions and inspect the setup after moving the desk. An organiser should let you replace a cable without dismantling the whole workstation.