1 in 5 firms lacks clear eyecare policy

News | HSP
14.03.2008

A fifth of companies do not have - or do not know whether they have - an eyecare policy for staff and 9% of firms are not familiar with the Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Regulations, according to a survey of more than 100 HR managers and company heads.

More encouragingly, 65% of company heads believe eyecare is at least as important as other employee benefits.

The research, carried out by Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, reveals that 41% of firms now operate an eyecare voucher scheme. The top-rated reason for this was ease of use for employees.

Under the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations, employers must provide free eye tests for employees who use visual display units as a significant part of their normal work.

In some circumstances employers must also pay for glasses - for example where glasses are prescribed for the distance at which the screen is viewed. (If an employee's ordinary prescription is suitable for their DSE work the employer does not have to pay for glasses.)

The HSE recently launched a new website area offering guidance on DSE; available here.