There is a significant lack of compliance with display screen equipment (DSE) regulations, it has been claimed.
The study, undertaken by Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, across 500 senior professionals in UK firms, revealed that only 10% of employers were complying with the regulations.
Results
Although the legislation states employers must provide all screen users with tests and glasses – if required solely for DSE use – the study showed more than a third (39%) do not provide any eyecare at all for screen users.
Almost a third (30%) do provide eye tests for all – but not glasses – and 14% provide eye tests for some workers. Less than one in ten (7%) provide the full requirements – eyecare and glasses – but only for some screen users.
As a result, the full survey results revealed that 61% of employers were providing some level of eyecare – but only 10% were fully complying with the law.
Two-thirds are screen users
The study shows firms on average class around two-thirds (68%) of their employees as screen users. Regionally, this is 55% in Wales and as high as 77% in Yorkshire and Humberside.
Screen users are at their lowest in the food and drinks industry (42% of employees) – and the percentage of users is at its highest in the media – 94%.
Jim Lythgow, director of strategic alliances for Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, said: “The good news is that there is an overall willingness to provide eyecare – but this is not to the extent as required by law.
“We believe there are two vital elements in increasing the number of employers complying with the DSE regulations: the first is to ensure they are educated about the full requirements of the legislation; the second is to make DSE eyecare as simple and cost effective as possible to procure.”
Fatigue is common amongst the population, but particularly among those working abnormal hours, and can arise from excessive working time or poorly designed shift patterns. It is also related to workload, in that workers are more easily fatigued if their work is machine-paced, complex or monotonous.
This free director’s briefing contains:
Worth noting that eyetests are free in Scotland, so the concept of employer provision doesn’t need to exist.
Oh were it so simple, as a refractive issue and not one of eye-strain and not binocular vision RSI’s linked directly to over-exposure to sub-optimal screen ergonomics..