Protect staff’s eyes – it’s the law and makes sense

PROTECTING employees’ eyesight against prolonged computer screen use is not only a legal requirement, it also makes good business sense. But despite that, Specsavers research has revealed that a massive 73% of companies are not complying with display screen equipment regulations.

In the late 1980s, when DSE became widely used in the workplace, there were real concerns that radiation from the screens and monitors could damage people’s eyes. In light of that, the Government of the day enacted legislation to ensure that companies took the health of their employees’ eyes seriously. Extensive research has since found no evidence that DSEs can cause disease or permanent damage to eyes. However, long spells of use can lead to tired eyes and discomfort, which in turn will impact on the individual’s concentration and productivity.

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, amended in 2002, is still in place to protect workers who regularly use computer screens. Any member of staff that uses DSE can request that their employer pays for them to have an eye examination, and glasses if they are necessary. Staff who work from home are also covered by the regulations, whether they use company computers or not. Employees who are working away, or with another firm, remain in the care of their employer. For temporary staff that are formally employed by an outside agency, it is the latter’s responsibility to provide eyecare.

Confusion

It all seems simple enough, but recent research has revealed that this legislation is misunderstood by both employers and employees. Specsavers carried out a comprehensive study into corporate eyecare provision during October 2009. It surveyed 187 companies representing between 295,556 and 448,629 employees. Of these firms, 43 were from the public sector, employing up to 172,513.

The results revealed that an alarming 13% of companies have no eyecare policy and 6% do not offer any company-funded eye tests to staff. This is in direct breach of the regulations that clearly state eye tests should be offered to employees who work with DSE. On the flipside, 35% of companies offer free eye tests to everyone in the company, whether they use DSE or not.

Beyond simply complying with legislation, most respondents agreed there were recruitment and retention benefits from providing corporate eyecare. Almost three-quarters (73%) thought it made them a more responsible employer and 28% felt is offered a better benefits package. The majority also understood the advantages of full eye examinations. Beyond checking your vision, a routine eye test at the opticians also provides a comprehensive health assessment. It can detect signs of a number of underlying conditions such as diabetes, glaucoma, cataracts, high blood pressure and even life-threatening tumours. Almost two-thirds of respondents were aware of this.

Despite all this it seems amazing that 13% of companies do not have an eyecare policy at all, and 39% of their employees see it as less important than the other health benefits they receive.

How to administer the regulations in practise

The legislation is simple, and the solutions available to help businesses meet the requirements are easily accessible and cost effective

The regulations give employers the right to nominate a specific optician to carry out the eyecare, and the tests must include a full examination of the health of the eyes, as well as just the ability to see. If any ailments are discovered the employee will be referred to an NHS practitioner for further help.

It is commonly thought that eye exams must be carried out annually. The regulations leave it to the optometrist how often they should take place, following the initial consultation. For new staff, the eye test must be done before screen work starts.

Staff are entitled to claim eye tests at any time if they feel their eyes have been damaged or strained, or if they have suffered headaches, as a consequence of VDU work. There is provision in the regulations for frivolous requests to be denied.

The regulations are clear about the minimum requirements for the provision of special corrective appliances, or glasses solely and specifically required for reading a display screen. These are distinguished from normal corrective appliances that are, quite simply, glasses that are used for anything else.

The intermediate distance for screen use is typically between 33 and 60cm. This cannot be automatically assumed however, as it is quite possible that the operator may, for example, be working with a projection screen at some distance, with a till screen at an airline check-in desk or with a wrist held computer in a stock room. The optician will need to establish this before commencing the eye test.

This is the primary consideration however, and the critical criteria is whether glasses are specifically required to view the screen clearly at this distance, and this would not be possible with the users’ uncorrected vision, or using glasses already required for general day-to-day use.

Despite the exaggerated fears of many employers this is actually a very small proportion of users, usually less then 10%. Depending on the workplace demographics this can often be a lot lower, although a workforce with an average age over 40 will be particularly susceptible to presbyopia (the inability to maintain a clear image as objects are moved closer) which is an age-related condition.

There is no requirement for firms to pay for contact lenses for VDU work. The regulations also state that firms do not have an obligation to provide ‘anti-glare screens’ and so called ‘VDU-spectacles’ or any other devices that claim to protect the eyes.

One of the most confusing areas of the regulations concerns bifocals and varifocals. These lenses can be unsuitable for VDU work, as it is not always possible to see the screen clearly without lowering or raising the head, which can lead to other associated problems such as neck pain.

The basic requirement then is to provide single vision spectacles suitable for viewing a screen at the appropriate distance.

Confusion as to who should pay

Some 88% of respondents claimed to be familiar with the legislation but only 70% thought it was clear as to what employees were entitled to. The confusion becomes evident when looking at beliefs about companies funding the cost of eyecare. The majority (53%) only make a contribution towards the costs of the eye test and glasses. Some 13% will fund the cost of the eye test but not the glasses, and 2% will pay for the glasses but not the eye test. As already stated 6% will offer no funding and insist the employee must pay for their own eye test and glasses.

In sum this means a massive 74% of companies are not complying with the DSE regulations, which clearly state that the employer must pay the full costs of an eye examination and the provision of basic glasses, where required.

Keeping costs down

As previously stated it is up to the employer to appoint the optician, and it is vitally important that they do this. By enrolling all staff with the same eye care provider - just as they would all sign up to the same medical insurance scheme - ensures that the company will get the most economical deal. The cost differences between different providers can be enormous.

The Specsavers Corporate Eye Care proposition is based on vouchers, and can provide an eye examination and complete glasses for as little as £17 per person. With other opticians offering similar corporate schemes there is no need to pay more.

Despite that, 16% of employers expect to pay in excess of £100 to provide staff with an eye test and glasses, 71% think it will cost more than £50 and 81%, more than £20. Only 13% correctly believe that corporate eyecare provision is actually possible for less than £20 per person, which is perhaps an indication of just how many employers are paying over the odds.

Employee benefits

Beyond financial savings, most employers recognise the further benefits of an eyecare vouchers system. Almost two-thirds (64%) of respondents to the survey felt it was a simple system for employees, and more than half (53%) thought it offered consistency and transparency. Almost half (48%) would adopt a vouchers scheme to reduce administration times and one fifth (21%) would do so to benefit from the peripheral offers and discounts that come with such a scheme.

Computer work is not risky

While the DSE regulations aim to protect the health of people who work with VDUs it does not mean that such work is risky. If the user follows good practice, like setting up their workstation well and taking breaks in intensive work, then there is no reason why it is not totally safe.

The regulations were introduced because DSEs and VDUs have become one of the commonest kinds of work equipment. So there is potential to make work more comfortable and productive for very large numbers of people by taking a few simple precautions.

People who need glasses for reading will also need to use them for computer work. Such long-sightedness or hypermetropia occurs when the power of the eye is too weak or the eyeball is too short. It makes the image focus behind the retina. The eyes may try too hard to focus, causing headaches or sometimes a squint. Convex lenses are used to correct this – they are thicker in the middle.

Even people with nothing wrong with their eyesight can find that they get headaches when using a computer for too long. Shifting gaze from screen to keyboard means eyes have to change focus quickly, resulting in eyestrain. Wearing specially-tailored glasses with tints and lens treatments to reduce screen glare can help.

Contacts lens wearers may find they struggle more with their lenses when using a screen. The heat generated by computers and other equipment can make the air seem drier, and some may find this uncomfortable. Those that have this problem but do not want to change to wearing glasses may find that the simple act of blinking more often or using tear-substitute drops can help. Where the air is dry, employers can help by taking steps to increase the humidity.

People with bifocal spectacles may find them less than ideal for VDU work. It is important to be able to see the screen easily without having to raise or lower the head. Those that cannot work comfortably with bifocals, may need a different type of glasses lens such as varifocals. The bad news for staff is that employers are not legally obliged to pay for bifocal or varifocal glasses.

Making sense of it all

Finding the right supplier of corporate eyecare is important on a number of levels. It must be able to offer a consistent level of service and be considered trustworthy by both the company and the employee. Administration needs to be considered as systems that save time will save money. Cost control is paramount, there are a number of options that will satisfy legislation and they all come with a different price tag, by choosing the right supplier it is possible to save a third of what some will charge.

This guide aims to ensure company compliance with the regulations, and that all employees are kept fit and healthy. This clearly matters to the overwhelming majority of UK firms. One of the most encouraging findings of the Specsavers survey was the 73% of respondents who said that they were happy to provide eyecare because they were anxious to be a responsible employer, and not simply because regulations were in place.