The use of display screen equipment (DSE) or visual display units is linked to a range of health problems including upper limb disorders (such as pain in the neck, arms, elbows, wrists, hands, and fingers), backache, fatigue, stress, temporary eye-strain, and headaches. Our Health & Safety experts share some expert tips for employers below...
DSE equipment includes the following: -
- workstations with monitors
- keyboards on machinery
- process equipment, and
- personal computers, both desktop and laptop.
Employers’ duties
Health and safety law requires employers to inform employees of their entitlement to have an eye /eyesight test carried out by a competent person, typically an optometrist or doctor. The relevant information may be communicated to employees: -
- verbally, while carrying out the employee’s workstation assessment
- by way of a memo posted on a workplace notice board
- by email to all relevant employees, or
- by other appropriate means of communication.
Eye tests
Employers should assume responsibility for arranging the eye test with an appropriate optometrist. The employee is not entitled to select the optometrist that will carry out the test.
Corrective appliances
Employers are required to provide any frames and lenses shown to be necessary for the employee’s work at a display screen (in other words, glasses prescribed for the distance at which the screen is viewed). If the employee already uses glasses and the prescription is suitable for DSE work the employer will not be required to pay for the employee’s glasses.
Schedule for testing
Following the initial eye/eyesight test, further tests at regular intervals as specified by the optometrist or when a DSE user is experiencing eye problems should be arranged. These tests will be at the employer’s expense.
Employer contributions
Where employees are found to require glasses solely for work on their DSE, the employer is required to pay for the prescription lenses and
minimum cost frames only.
There is no requirement to pay for designer or specific frames requested by the employee. As a goodwill gesture, many employers will contribute the cost of basic frames to reduce the cost of the preferred frames of the employee.
To learn more about eye tests or any other health and safety issue, please do call our 24-hour advice service on 0818 923 923
