Safe Use of Interactive Whiteboards

Some concerns have been raised, via the Children's Services' Health and Safety Committee, regarding the safety of interactive whiteboards.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued advice on good practice for the Education sector when using interactive whiteboards. This can be summarised as:

• Staring directly into the projector beam is to be avoided at all times.



• Standing facing into the beam should be minimised. Users, especially pupils and students, should try to stand to the side of the beam as much as possible.



• Pupils and students should be adequately supervised when they are asked to point out something on the screen.



• Try to ensure that projectors are located out of the sight line from the screen to the audience; this ensures that, when presenters look at the audience, they do not also have to stare at the projector lamp. The best way to achieve this is by ceiling-mounting rather than floor or table-mounting the projector.



• In order to minimise the lamp power needed to project a visible presentation, use room blinds to reduce ambient light levels.

Similar advice is available from BECTA (British Educational Communications and Technology Agency), DfES and NUT websites. The HSE guidance and links to the other websites mentioned can be accessed here.

Action:

• Staff using interactive whiteboards should follow these best practice guidelines.

• Any staff experiencing adverse health effects, which they consider to be caused by the use of interactive whiteboards, should complete an online incident report.