Eye Sight Tests

This post has been removed because it contravened our guidelines.

This post has been removed because it contravened our guidelines.

This post has been removed because it contravened our guidelines.

Fatigue insidiously erodes concentration, attention and vigilance of both DSE and vehicle operaters as found in a survey of junior doctors where between 04 and 05 - 1 in 6 had an accident either on the way into or on the home from work:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/5408986.stm

I also understand, from an air steward friend, many of their collegues have had an accident on the way home after landing at stupid O' clock and too many were fatal.........

There are some companies who are now issuing hotel chain cards to employees who travel a lot with 'express instructions' to book in if feeling fatigued rather than continue driving after a long busy day.

Cheers Lou, hopefully work errors or mishaps for your DSE operaters who may experience some eye strain, visual fatigue or suffer a degree of impaired refractive acuity, over time, is a significantly less directly 'safety critical' risk to themselves and others by comparison to your motor vehicle operaters.

As an aside also spotted following in BBC article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7858623.stm

Obviously, a head cold is miserable and may provide sufficient distraction to impair concentration, attention and vigilance.

However, we had a scary problem came to light when one of our drivers with a bit of a chest infection and a cough had a minor shunt in a traffic que when we found out they had had several little 'black-outs' at work when they were coughing.......

It was not something we were aware of at the time but it appears that in "some" people there is a risk that the nerve running alongside the caroted artuery may be pinched during a cough when the blood pressure is raised causing the individual to balck-out momentarily.

It may be rare but it scared us ****less that the employee had been too scared to report the prior events that could have resulted something a lot more serious than minor bump.

We have since included the "reporting responsibilty" of "anything" that may impair "capacity" with a number of simple or some would think silly examples to get the message home - if we don't know we cannot act !

Success is NO accident - prior planning prevents 'P' poor performance...

Thank you very much for your comments Nigel. Whilst we do have DSE users, it would have seemed a little unfair if they were offered free eye tests and not the drivers we have. This can fit quite well togehter if we adopt this, as you say, as a condition of employment for the drivers to attend an optician eveyr two years.

Per'aps the simple answer is to be proactive and complete a risk assessment as it is "known or should have known" that a percentage of drivers do not know that their sight is impaired or are being neglegent in not visiting optician regularly. (normally recommended every two years or less if necessary)

Maybe a condition prior to employment ?
Maybe a condition every two years for continued employment ?

Maybe generic health screening 'fit for purpose' risk assessment @ 5 years ?

After all you wouldn't want to know that your holiday Pilot couldn't see and wasn't fot for purpose was at risk of blanking out and wasn't assessed every six months ?

Simple's - NO :

As long or short sight not actually specific to a relatively fixed focal length.

Although, if driver is required to drive at night there may be an argument for improving impaired night vision if the individual suffers from poor dark adaption and as a result experiences 'night myopia' that may cause them to miss interprete moving objects as stationary - sort stroboscopic affect.

However, from a elf & safety perspective motoring organisations have completed various surveys that suggest up to 16% of drivers could no longer pass a basic driving exam eye sight test. i.e. read reg plate from 60 ft. ! ! !

Visual acuity for drivers is subject to examination in the US but has not yet reached the UK other than for Police drivers and Emergency services, pilots etc.

Whilst all the above apply to DSE users, is anyone able to advise as to whether an employer is required to pay for an eye test, on a regular basis, for drivers?

Anyone using DSE at work is legally supposed to be informed, before they go anywhere near a computer, that they are entitled to a free eye test and help with spectacles.

It is recommended that you have a test every year. I change my spectacles every two years, and the company pay.

As for long sight/short sight, I have my own by-focals for that. The company pay for the "in between" glasses the optician says I need for the computer.

As for the poster who states that he pays for the first set, after that it is deterioration in eye sight and he is not paying for that, you could expect industrial trouble, and perhaps a legal challenge, certainly if the workplace is unionised.

As an employer are we legally responsible for notifying our employees that they are entitled to the free eye-sight test? I understand that the employee can ask for it and that we dont have to 'offer' it to them, but are we legally bound to tell them they are entitled to it?

Dave,

Whilst the portable hand held device may have a fixed screen the screen itself is not at a fixed distance when viewed by operator who will naturally adjust viewing distance for their own comfort.

Therefore, as the operator may adjust viewing distance for their comfort it is a variable that an optician would not be able to prescribe for whereas DSE is normally static at a user / ergonomically defined workstation location.

Additionally, if the user 'normally requires glasses to read' it is less likely that the employer would pay for glasses unless an optician specifically prescribed PPE (screen glasses) because user had focal acuity and/or astigmia problems needing assistive / protective / mitigative "visual aid"

Glenn,

The hand held scanners operate via an IR link to our network. They do however, have an alpha numeric keypad on them.

Karl,

They are not in prolonged use & are portable, hence my reckoning based on the exclusions in Regulation 1.

Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992
The Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 (DSE Regulations implement the requirements of the European Directive on minimum health and safety requirements for work with display screen equipment. They were updated and amended in 2002.

HSE also issued updated guidance at that time.

Definitions of screen equipment
Regulation 1 contains several important definitions:

'Display screen equipment' means any alphanumeric or graphic display screen, regardless of the display process involved.

Thus, the regulations do not only apply to VDU screens, but cover other methods of displaying data, such as microfiche and CCTV screens.

Certain other display screen equipment is specifically excluded from the Regulations:

display screen equipment contained in drivers cabs or control cabs for vehicles or machinery
display screen equipment on board a means of transport
display screen equipment intended mainly for public operation
portable systems not in prolonged use
calculators, cash registers or equipment having a small data or measurement display required for the direct use of the equipment
window typewriters (displaying only a few lines of text).
However, even though excluded from the DSE Regulations, employers still have duties to assess risks from such equipment and to ensure that it is safe to use and without risk to health.

With portable systems, the phrase 'not in prolonged use' is important.

'User' or 'operator' - employee or self-employed person who 'habitually uses display screen equipment as a significant part of his normal work.'

Only users and operators, as defined, are covered by the majority of the regulations, so it is important to ensure that the terms are understood.

Risk Assessment
Regulation 2 requires employers to carry out a 'suitable and sufficient analysis' of all workstations provided for use by users or operators - in other words, a risk assessment. The principal risks to be looked at for DSE work are defined as:

physical (musculoskeletal) problems
visual fatigue
mental stress.
The assessment must be reviewed when matters change.

Identified risks must be reduced to the lowest extent reasonably practicable.

Where users are required by the employer to work at home on DSE, whether or not the workstation is provided in whole or in part, an assessment must be carried out.

Shared workstations
Where users share workstations, such as in shift working areas or where 'hot desking' is in operation, the guidance requires the workstation to be analysed and assessed for all of those who use it and are users or operators, as defined.

It is particularly important that equipment, such as chairs, provided to meet the particular needs of a specific user are readily available to that user at whichever workstation they are using.

Minimum requirements

Regulation 3 requires that all DSE workstations must meet the Schedule of Minimum Requirements.

This strengthens the original regulations, which only applied the schedule to those workstations to be used by users or operators.

The schedule covers display screens, keyboards, work desks and chairs and environmental factors such as space, lighting, heat, noise and humidity. It also applies rules to the interface between software and users.

Breaks
Regulation 4 requires employers to ensure that users get periodic breaks or changes of activity away from the display screen equipment.

Ideally, this should be achieved through job design, so that changes of activity and posture occur naturally. Where this is not possible, deliberate breaks must be introduced.

The aim of such changes in routine is to avoid risks of postural fatigue.

Breaks should occur before the onset of fatigue and, if formal breaks, should be short and frequent rather that long, traditional 'tea-break' style. It is better for users to be able to take breaks as they feel the need, rather than having a set pattern.

The employer should ensure, through management and supervision, that adequate breaks are being taken.

Eyesight tests and corrective appliances
Regulation 5 concerns the provision of eye and eyesight tests and payment for certain types of corrective appliance (or glasses).

All new users and anyone who was a user at 1 January 1993 are entitled to ask for an eye and eyesight test under this regulation.

This must be provided, by the employer, free of charge, making use of a 'competent person'. In effect, this means a sight test by a suitably qualified medical practitioner or ophthalmic optician.

Although employers can offer such alternatives as vision screening tests or other methods of indicating need for a full eye test, they cannot prevent a user opting for a full eyesight test instead.

At the first such test, the examining optician should be asked to recommend when a re-test is needed. The user is entitled to this also, free of any charge.

Where the test shows the need for a special corrective appliance, the employer must fund the basic cost. Bi and Varifocal lenses are now included in the definition of special corrective appliances.

Training and Information
Regulation 6 requires the employer to provide all users with adequate training on the workstation - this should include how to arrange the workstation safely and suitably and what to do if the user develops any work-related health problems.

Regulation 7 requires employers to provide information to users and operators on risks identified by the assessment, steps taken to reduce the risks, and, where appropriate, the systems for breaks and for eyesight tests.

Dave

does the scanning equipment link in or need a PC to operate?

If so I think they will be covered and must be treated the same.

Glenn

Michael,

We also use the voucher scheme although our nearest Specsavers is 6 miles away, so we have negotiated a similar discount with a local optician.

In addition, a word of warning...

Make sure a DSE risk assessment is also conducted. Simply issuing an eyetest voucher is not sufficient to satisfy regulations.

We have a number of warehouse staff using scanning equipment who are also claiming free eyetests although I intend to stop this as I believe they are not classified users or equipment within the terms of the legislation.

Any thoughts?

It should be noted that if you are a UK resident you can get a free eye test in Scotland at any optometrist who supplies NHS services.

In this day of increasing costs I noted from some of the replies that on average the cost of eye tests and glasses are on average £40 - £50.
The easiest way, is to purchase VDU eye test vouchers from Specsavers (see their website) The cost is £17.00 for and eye test and included in this price is a pair of glasses (if required for VDU purposes). It is so simple all the employer has to do is purchase a book of vouchers (5 per book) issue one voucher to your employee they then ring a freefone number and book an appointment with their chosen store, if they do not currently wear glasses and at the test it is found that they do need galsses for VDU work then they will be issued with a pair of glasses at no further cost. If the employee requires a different pair or require bi-foculs etc the they pay the additional cost, otherwise it only costs £17.00 great value in my opinion. If your employee already wears glasses then all they get is a eye test voucher £17 and if they are issued with an updated prescription they can choose their glasses from a certain range and they will get £20 discount included in the voucher (you may need to check the terms and conditons on the Specsavers site). Currently our employees have their eye tests covered this way every two years (unless they are advised by Specsavers that more frequent tests are required). Hope this helps

Simple, it is just a Health & Safety Risk Assessment for DSE operators:

1. Risk Assessment and operator training should take place prior to use

2. If, the assessment indentifies an area of risk it should be mitigated

a. workstation ergonomics to reduce physiological risk of fatigue & MSD's
b. mitigation of environmental conditions in which user operates DSE
c. provision of appropriate 'aids' to enhance DSE or reduce risk to user

With regard to PPE or specifically "display screen glasses" these are only provided (paid for and owned by the employer) when prescribed solely for DSE use.

Anyone needing reading glasses, if long sighted, or generally ware glases, if short sighted, DO NOT qualify as display screen glasses and will have to pay for them themselves.

Nevertheless, they do qualifying for a DSE sight test (Visual Risk Assessment)annually or 'on demand' if they suspect there has been a change in their visual acuity or experience any symptoms of 'Screen Fatigue' like eyestrain, blurred or double vision, headaches etc.

The employer would not be unreasonable, unless employee working off site, to insist that "their" PPE equipment (screen glasses) are left at work and/or if employee was leaving their employ to either leave the glasses behind or pay for them before they left..........................

Kevin - thank you for your response. My glasses have always been for use of VDU's. My optician stated on Saturday when I had my two yearly check that they are for VDU use, driving, infact everything I do as I need to wear them all the time. I am hoping to find some legal document stating they should make a contribution.

Anonymous - Reg 5 states that employers have a duty to ensure the provision of appropriate eye and eyesight tests ON REQUEST to employees who already use DSE (display screen equipment) ad also to people who are being recruited to be a user. That seems to fit the description of someone 'on probation' to me. The requirement is universal, not a perk earned by long service.
The actual legislation states that the employer SHALLensure that the appropriate test is carried out as soon as practicable after the request is made. If the request is made by someone who's going to become a DSE user, the employer should arrange for the test to be carried out beforehand.

This post has been removed because it contravened our guidelines.

If you're prescribed glasses to help you work with a VDU, your employer must pay for a basic pair of glasses, provided they're needed especially for your work. If you need the new prescription for general purposes you don't qualify. In the past I've received a contribution because my varifocals had to include a specific prescription for the VDU element, and at the moment I have a pair of specs with just the VDU precription, provided free by the employer.

I have to wear glasses all the time. I recently had my two yearly check and need stronger lenses. The company I work for have said they will not contribute towards the glasses as they gave me £50 towards my last prescription update. Does anyone know what the current rules/regulations are on this scenario?

This post has been removed because it contravened our guidelines.