With April temperatures reaching above average levels this year, office workers around the country are making the most of the early summer rays by venturing to their local open spaces during their lunch hours. It’s second nature for many to bring along sunscreen to protect their skin from harmful ultraviolet rays, but many employees are putting their sight at risk by not adequately protecting their eyes from the sun.
It can be all too easy to forget about protecting our eyes at work, as we’re using them to carry out nearly every task we do in the office. Simple things such as writing a document or attending a meeting can be affected by eyes that are tired. Using a computer on a regular basis can also have a negative effect on you as well, as scientists have discovered that users are less likely to blink as often as they would if they were reading a book, due to employees concentrating on their Monitors, or Visual Display Units (VDU’s) for too long.
An independent survey carried out by a group of leading medical bodies found some shocking statistics when it came to how much employees knew about what their employers offered. 9% of most workforces do not know, or have not familiarised themselves with what is included in the 1992 Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) regulations.
Your employer has an obligation to make sure its workforce understands what regulations are in place and enforce a corporate eyecare policy in the workplace. The Health and Safety Executive states that if employees believe they are suffering from any ocular ailments due to the work they are carrying out in their workplace, their employee must provide them with access to subsidised eye tests and vouchers towards the cost of a pair of new frames.
Employers must also make sure that their workforce has adequate assistance when it comes to the layout of the computer equipment they use. Accessories such as a height and tilt adjusting VDU’s, adequate monitor radiation protectors and ergonomic office furniture should be provided to employees to help them adjust their working environment to be a safer and more productive area.
If you are unsure about what policies your employer has in place for corporate eyecare, contact a representative of your human resources department, or visit the Health and Safety Executive’s website for more information.