eye tests

[rja211077]

I know that in certain circumstances your employer is obliged by law to pay for you to have a periodic eye test, but what are these circumstances? is there a guideline for the amount of time that you must spend in front of DSE before this law kicks in?

[Miss Zippy]

To be eligible for such eye tests, your employer needs to define you as a DSE 'user'. The Health & Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regs 1992 define a user as 'an employee who habitually uses display screen equipment as a significant part of his normal work'. As you would expect of our legislation, it doesn't specifically define how many hours' use qualifies you to be an 'habitual user'. However, with DSE use now so commonplace, most employers designate all staff who use them as 'users' for the purposes of the DSE Regs and allow them free eye tests. Employers are not obliged to automatically provide eye tests, but they do have to make all employees aware of their right to ask for a free eye test. Employees must be allowed paid time off work to attend eye test appointments and if the employee is required to wear glasses for DSE work, the employer is required to pay the cost of a basic pair of glasses (the employee can of course opt to get a fancy pair and pay the difference in cost themselves).

[rja211077]

crackin' answer. are you a lawyer? HR manager? HSE consultant/manager?

[Miss Zippy]

Legal eagle I'm afraid. It's a dirty job but someone's got to do it ;0)

[anthomson]

Miss Zippy - if a company has to provide free eye-tests and glasses to employees then does this mean they are taking responsability for damaging the eye-sight of those employees ? If so will we see people claiming damages from their employees in the same way for example that miners sue for damages for 'white finger vibration'.