Almost 90% of businesses in the UK are failing to meet their legal obligations to protect the sight of their staff, according to a survey commissioned by the Eyecare Trust.
The Trust and healthcare provider Simplyhealth have launched ScreenSmart, a new initiative designed to educate employers about the importance of caring for their employees’ eye health. This follows survey findings that 44% of employers fail to meet even the most basic elements of the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations SI 1992/2792 and the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) SR 1992/513, such as providing regular sight tests. In fact, one in 10 has no eye care policy at all.
Just 11% of businesses say they meet the six key measures outlined in the legislation, from workstation analysis to screen breaks, in spite of penalties such as fines and criminal prosecution. The worst offenders are small businesses with fewer than 10 staff, as 21% make absolutely no eye care provision, with only a third offering to pay for regular eye exams and just a quarter saying they make sure workstations are designed to minimise glare or reflections.
Larger businesses are also at fault, with 18% not paying for regular sight tests and 40% refusing to contribute towards the cost of spectacles for VDU work. Trust chairman Dharmesh Patel said, “Our research shows that many employees fail to comply with relevant legislation because they don’t even know that such provisions exist. By launching the ScreenSmart campaign we hope to raise greater awareness among employers about the importance of protecting employee eye health and the simple steps they need to take in order to comply with the legislation.”
The Trust has estimated that work-related eyestrain and vision problems cost UK industry an estimated £1.5 billion a year through absenteeism and reduced productivity. As a result, www.screensmart.co.uk has been set up for employers and staff in order to provide practical solutions for legal compliance.
