OHS Law: How do you as an employer fulfill your Duty of Care to provide adequate eye protection?

A key issue under OSH law is that employers have a Duty of Care to manage the potential for eye injury in the workplace.  As such they provide Safety Glasses or other protective eyewear. 

So when an employer takes somebody on, and from the employment pre-placement medical it is demonstrated that the employee needs corrective vision assistance to do their job; then that Employer is compelled to make some provision for prescription safety glasses which is a very expensive exercise.

We are dealing with an aging population and many more in the workplace over the age of 40 are suffering with Presbyopia.

From numerous incident investigations, I has been found that a causation factor has been that the employee was not wearing adequate protective eyewear. From investigative interview, some of the reasoning’s offered for this have been:

• “I didn’t want to damage prescription safety glasses because they are very expensive and it’s too much of a hassle getting the employer to replace them”
• “They are just too heavy on my nose and face so I can’t wear them for long and sometimes they give me a headache”
• “I removed the side shields on glasses because they were loose but also with no side shields I can wear them outside of work”

Sometimes where the Employer hasn’t provided safety glasses with corrective lenses – employees have to alternate between their reading glasses and safety glasses EXPOSING THEMSELVES TO SERIOUS RISKS

OPTX • 20/20  “stick-on magnifying lenses” for any type of safety glasses are ANSI Z87.1-2003 (Occupational & Educational Eye & Face Protection Devices) compliant and can solve this problem quickly and cheaply. OPTX • 20/20 “stick-on magnifying lenses” provide a very economical alternative to expensive prescription safety glasses.  All you need is a drop of common water and you can remove them when you want.  For example, when your safety glasses have been damaged and you have to replace them.  What’s more when you have to work looking upwards, OPTX • 20/20  lenses can be moved to the upper part of your safety glasses.

OPTX • 20/20  lenses are made from soft, high quality optical material that sticks to the lens of the glasses through molecular adhesion. This material has been developed and produced by Bayer Material Science. They are ideal for any company that wants to adopt a focused approach to safety in the workplace. If you have difficulty in seeing details up close when you are working, OPTX • 20/20 stick-on magnifying lenses for Safety Glasses is the solution.

They are available in 6 strengths (dioptres) from +1.25 to +3.00