Developing a companyeyecare policy - your options & legal obligations.

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The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, which were amendedin 2002, place a responsibility on employers to attend to the eyecare of VDU users. While many employers find that the regulations are beneficial in helping them to addresseye health at work, the take up of eye tests remains lower than originally anticipated. This is in large part due to misunderstandings concerning the regulations by employersand employees.

So what does this really mean for employers, what do they need to know about complyingand what options are available to help them meet their obligations?

Background In January 1993, six regulations on health and safety at work were introduced. Commonlyreferred to as the ‘Six Pack’, these regulations were introduced to implement therequirements of European Community Health and Safety Directives.

It is one of these regulations, specifically the Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992(DSE Regulations), that requires employers to minimise the risks in VDU work by ensuringthat workplaces and jobs are well designed.

The regulations apply where an employee habitually uses VDUs as a significant part oftheir normal work. It is normally agreed that ‘habitual’ means regularly using a terminalfor periods of over one hour – less if mistakes can have a critical effect.

The regulations are also designed to protect users who may work from home and agency‘temps’, two areas often overlooked by employers. While there are some potential areas of interpretation, particularly in the definition of a ‘user’, it would be safe to assume thatanyone who considers themselves to be a VDU user probably is.

Main points of the DSE RegulationsThe regulations do not contain detailed technical specifications or lists of approvedequipment, but are more a set of general objectives.

Employers have to:

i. Analyse workstations and assess and reduce risksEmployers need to look at:

• The whole workstation including equipment, furniture and the work environment

• The job being done

• Any special needs of individual staff

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ii. Ensure workstations meet minimum requirementsThese requirements are good features that should normally be found in a workstation,such as adjustable chairs and suitable lighting. They are set out in a schedule to theregulations, covering screens, keyboards, desks, chairs, the working environment andsoftware. All workstations covered by the regulations now have to comply to the extentnecessary for the health and safety of workers.

iii. Plan work so there are breaks or changes of activityAs the need for breaks depends on the nature and intensity of work, the regulationsrequire breaks or changes of activity but do not specify their timing or length. However, the guidance in the regulations suggests short, frequent breaks rather than longer, less frequent ones.

iv. On request, arrange eye tests and provide spectacles if special ones are neededEmployees covered by the regulations can ask their employer to provide and pay for an eyeand eyesight test. This is a test by an optometrist or doctor. There is also an entitlement to further tests at regular intervals. If the test shows that special spectacles are requiredfor VDU work, the employer must cover the cost of this as well.

Marc Karbaron, Managing Partner at opticians, OPTIX at Broadgate explains that: “In my experience, there are only 5-7% of people that need glasses solely for use with VDU screens”. In these cases, the employer pays for the basic appliances, but should not be expected to pay for any fashion element.

v. Provide health and safety training and informationThe employer must provide employees with health and safety training on the use of theirVDU and workstation and with information on the risks and the measures to control thoserisks, for example, adjusting the chair or screen to the correct height.

Information should also be provided about VDU Health and Safety. This should includegeneral background information. It should also cover more specific details of the stepstaken by the employer to comply with the regulations, such as the action taken to reducerisks and the arrangements for breaks.

But despite these regulations designed to protect employees and particularly theireyesight, it is estimated that out of the 6 million VDU users in the UK, only one in five haveexercised their legal right to an eye test paid for by their employer.

Eyecare at workWhile the Health and Safety Executive has found there is good evidence that work withVDUs does not cause any permanent damage to eyes or eye sight, complaints of temporarydiscomfort, eye strain and headaches are still common. This is likely to be due to fatiguethrough causes such as:

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• Insufficient and infrequent rest periods

• Incorrect positioning of the screen and/or documents

• Unsuitable lighting

• Poorly designed work area

• An uncorrected eyesight fault such as long sightedness, short sightedness, astigmatism or presbyopia

• The eyes are not working ‘as a team’

Despite the lack of scientific evidence, there continues to be concern about the damagecomputer screens are causing to people’s eyes. A survey conducted by the Eyecare Trustrevealed that the average person will spend 128,780 hours in their working life staring at a screen. 63% of those surveyed said they regularly leave work with a headache and 53%suffer from tired or strained eyes.

Iain Anderson, Chairman of the Eyecare Trust, points out: “As computer use in theworkplace and the home continues to rise, so do the number of people complaining of eyestrain. It’s vital that computer users visit their optometrist for regular eyeexaminations and follow a healthy eyecare regime. ‘Screen Fatigue’ – sore, itchy, irritated eyes or temporary blurring of your vision affects up to 90% of VDU users.”

A third of those questioned in the study said they regularly put up with dry, irritated andwatery eyes and one in five people even admitted to being aware of imperfections with their eyesight.

Clearly there is not enough notice being given to the simple precautions that can be takento protect eyes from ‘screen fatigue’.

Minimising the effects of VDUsThere are simple steps that can be taken to prevent unnecessary strain and minimise the symptoms of screen fatigue. These include:

Take frequent breaks When you work at a VDU your eyes can be focused on the screen for long periods so it is important to take a brief rest and give your eyes a break every 20 minutes or so. You should have sufficient space behind the screen for you to be able to look beyond it and relax your eyes.

Make your workstation ‘eye friendly’Your computer screen should be about 33–60cm from your eyes, with the centre of the screen 10-15cm below your natural eye level. Position copy documents at roughly the same distance from your eyes as the screen to avoid having to re-focus.

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Minimise screen glareKeep the screen clean and adjust it to levels of brightness and contrast that you findcomfortable. Your screen should be positioned so that windows or other light sources areto the side rather than in front of or behind it. If you can see windows or lights reflected in the screen, move the VDU until the reflections disappear, or adjust curtains or blinds.

Have regular eye examinationsTell your optician how long you have worked with VDUs, the number of hours per day thatyou work at a screen and any symptoms you may be experiencing.

The importance of eye testingAccording to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), nine out of ten people fearlosing their sight above any other sense but one in three still failed to have an eye test inthe last two years. The RNIB research found that that over half of sight loss in the UK isavoidable. It also clearly shows that few people understand the importance of an eye test inidentifying potentially blinding conditions, with most giving the reason for not having an eyetest as “they didn’t have a problem with their eyes”.

Steve Winyard of the RNIB explains that: “Ignorance is quietly robbing people of their sightevery day. Unless action is taken now, thousands of people in the UK will this yearneedlessly lose their sight from conditions that could be treated if caught early.”

20 Minutes That Saved Helen's Sight Thanks to a VDU-users sight test paid for by her employer, Helen was successfully treatedfor a potentially blinding condition. The day that 29-year-old Helen went for a routine eyeexamination was one of the luckiest days of her life. Despite the fact that she had nosymptoms, the 20-minute check revealed that the retinas of both her eyes were becomingdetached. Without rapid treatment, she could have gone blind with little or no warning.

Helen had gone for her sight check almost by chance and she was convinced her sight was absolutely fine. The optometrist on duty immediately realised Helen had a problem.

'Helen's case was extraordinary. The retina is the light sensitive, innermost layer of the eyeball and if there is a tear or detachment the patient usually notices a multitude of smallblack floaters or a shadow in part of their vision. Helen had none of these symptoms, but if her condition had been left untreated, there was a serious danger that she could have lost her sight.'

At first, Helen just couldn't believe there was anything wrong with her sight. 'I had nodifficulty seeing clearly,' she said. 'What's more, I had just heard that I had been posted to New York, and when the optometrist told me she thought there could be a problem with my eyes I said I would have them looked at when I arrived in the USA.'

Flying to the States with this type of eye condition could potentially have been the worst thing for Helen to do, so the optometrist was persistent and recommended that Helen should

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see her GP as soon as possible. When she did, she was immediately sent to the Royal FreeHospital, where she was referred to Moorfields the same afternoon with detaching retinas in both eyes. Helen underwent laser surgery within days. The retina in her right eye was inquite an advanced state of detachment while detachment in her left eye was just beginning.There was only a little soreness after surgery and Helen is now fully recovered.

'The whole situation has made me realise just how important it is to have your eyeschecked regularly.' added Helen. 'I had an eye examination about three years before and there was no sign of any trouble at all. It shows that these things can happen quiteunexpectedly, and to someone of any age.'

Optician, Marc Karbaron believes that both employers and employees underestimate the true value of getting their eyes tested. “Eye examinations are a window to the body,providing indications of other health issues such as hypertension, low or high bloodpressure and it is not unknown for signs of conditions such as brain tumours, diabetes and high cholesterol levels to be picked up through eye tests – all of which could affectlong-term health. Too few employers and employees themselves realise that eye tests are a very quick health check at a very low cost.”

Employers are required by the DSE regulations to ensure that at regular intervals after an employee has been provided with an eye test, he or she is provided with a further eyetest by a competent person. This is normally every two years, unless otherwise specifiedby the optometrist or doctor. In order to comply with this regulation, an employer will needto contact the employee periodically to check they are not experiencing any further issues,and remind them that further tests are available.

“It might be advisable for employers to keep a log of all users that have been provided witheye tests in order that a system can be put in place to follow this up. If an employee doesnot want to attend a further test, an employer does not have to make them. However, giventhat it is at no extra cost to the employee, it makes sense to encourage them to do so,”advises Laura Shirley, solicitor at law firm, Eversheds.

Darren English, Head of HR at the Money Advice Trust agrees and has recently developedformalised procedures that ensure employees get their eyes re-tested regularly:“Employees who request eyecare vouchers are asked to inform the HR department of thedate of their eye test and to inform them of their next eye examination due date (a datewhich will be advised by the optician and which may be under two years). All detailsrelating to employees’ use of eyecare vouchers are recorded onto the HR Eyecare database,including issue date of eyecare vouchers, date a re-test is due, date the employees are tobe reminded to collect another eyecare voucher and date spectacle vouchers are issued forqualifying employees. This helps us to meet the obligations but also shows our employeesthat we take their eye health seriously.”

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National Air Traffic Services (NATS) is naturally concerned about the eye-health of itscontrollers on grounds of safety, but also has measures in place to communicate theimportance of eyecare to all of its 5,000 employees.

Avril Williams, Health and Safety Advisor, NATS, comments: “Nearly everyone at NATSregularly gets their eyes tested. Advice on eye-health and reminder emails are sent out to employees on a regular basis and every new starter pack contains information oneyecare. Air traffic controllers must take mandatory breaks, but other employees areactively encouraged to take breaks of at least five minutes every hour. We can’t forceemployees to step away from their workstations, but we can make them aware of eye-health and encourage them to protect themselves from the adverse symptoms that will result from staring non-stop at a screen all day.”

The fact that so many sight problems go unnoticed is cause for concern not only for individuals but also for employers. The knock-on effects of low productivity and absenteeism resulting from poor eye health will have potentially very damagingimplications. It will be those employers who play a role in ensuring that their VDU usersget regular eye tests and understand the importance of eye health who stand to benefit in the future.

“A disproportionate amount of money is spent on other employee perks such as freelunches or taxis home from social events, none of which would be needed if an employee’seyesight was to fail and they could no longer fulfil the requirements of their job,” points out Karbaron.

According to a survey of UK workers, one in five employees has not had their eyes tested in five years, with only one-third even aware of their right to a free eye test through theiremployer. The survey, commissioned by Accor Services, found that the main barriers to taking up the eye test were:

• Concern that it would still involve a cost to them (12%)

• Confusion as to whether or not they are entitled (15%)

• Not wanting to ask their boss (22%)

The research also found a clear link between computer use and lack of productivity causedby eye-related illness. A quarter of the workers had suffered from blurred vision. One infive admitted to making mistakes as a result of eyestrain, one in ten had experienced dizzyspells at work and one in twenty said it had prevented them from contributing to a meetingproperly.

The research would indicate that poor eye health is costing British business. Over 1.5million workers have taken time off work for eye-related illnesses which would suggestthat employers not only have a duty of care to do more to protect people’s eyesight,but it’s also in their own interest.

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Driver eyecare While regulations force employers to provide eye tests for VDU users, there is no specificlegislation for checking the sight of occupational drivers. This previously neglected area is now being increasingly talked about with calls for greater employer responsibility. Health and Safety Executive guidance Driving at work prompts employers to remind staffthey must be able to satisfy the Highway Code's eyesight requirements, which means beingable to read a number plate at a distance of 20 metres. However, company car drivers’vision is often overlooked.

While a driving policy stipulating that staff who drive on business should have regulareyesight checks might help, some employers are now choosing to go one step further in order to cover themselves. For example, one organisation that was concerned that theirdrivers were not taking the risk associated with not having regular eyesight tests seriouslyenough decided that one way of handling it was to say to them, ‘ok we will pay’.

Eyecare vouchers are one way of helping employers deal with their legal obligationsaround eyecare.

So the evidence would suggest that it is in the interests of employers to play an active rolein looking after the eyesight of their employees. While some organisations continue to viewthis as just another compliance hassle other more enlightened employers, are realisingthey can package their compliance requirements as genuine benefits for staff.

Marc Karbaron, points out: “If people viewed a visit to the opticians as seriously as theytake a trip to the dentist, eyecare would be up there as one of the leading benefits offeredto employees. That’s where it should be, but there’s still a lot of education work to be donebefore employers and employees understand the true value of an eye test.”

Five reasons to develop a formal eyecare policy:

Liability: Rightly or wrongly, almost two thirds of workers attribute a deterioration in their eyesight to use of a computer at work

Productivity: 70% of workers experience blurred vision, headache, migraine, dizzy spellsor nausea as a result of using a computer at work

Attendance: 1.5 million workers have gone absent with eye-related illness

Recruitment: Two-thirds of workers say benefits packages have a clear influence on their career decisions. 86% would take advantage of help with their eyecare

Reputation: 90% of employees believe worker’s rights should be openly communicated,failure to inform employees of their right to free eye tests could damage your reputation,offering this and more to all employees could help to enhance it

Source: Accor Services Eyecare at Work Survey 2005

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Developing and writing an eyecare policy

So what must employers include in an eyecare policy and why is it so important?

In accordance with the DSE regulations, employers must provide users with, amongstother things, adequate information regarding the measures it takes to comply with itsduties in respect of eyesight tests.

REL Field Marketing put a structured eyecare policy in place after it realised that

employees were confused about how to reclaim the cost of eye tests.

Keith Shute, Health and Safety Advisor, REL Field Marketing explains, “Our eyecare policy was loose and there was often confusion amongst employees regarding how it was administered. So following increased requests from employees regarding eye tests, I decided to put an Accor Services Eyecare Vouchers scheme in place. We now have a clear, structured and easily understandable eyecare policy in place. Employees know they are entitled to financial help with eyecare, paid for by the company, and recognise that the company is genuinely interested in looking after their welfare.”

“It is normal for this information to be circulated in an employee handbook or health andsafety policy and should be covered in detail during induction training,” explains LauraShirley, solicitor at law firm, Eversheds. “Employers have a duty to ensure that all usershave this information. It is advisable, therefore, to make sure that any employees thatbecome users at a later date are informed and that any changes to the policy are properlycommunicated.”

What to include in a DSE policyThe following eight point plan provides a summary of what should be contained within any display screen equipment policy.

1. Purpose and scope of the policy – an explanation of what the policy has been designedto do, namely to ensure that employees who use Display Screen Equipment regularlyminimise any risk to their health arising from exposure to DSE or the layout of theirworkstation

2. Explanation of the key legislation in this area – The Health and Safety (Display ScreenEquipment) Regulations 1992 and The Provision and Use of Work EquipmentRegulations 1998

3. Definitions – an explanation of the key terms such as "DSE", "workstation" etc

4. Employers and employees responsibilities – clearly define the role of the employer in meeting the DSE regulations such as paying for eye tests and the arrangement for breaks and outline relevant procedures. Set out in the policy the steps employeesthemselves can take to minimise the effects of VDUs

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5. Risk assessments – explanation of the minimum workstation requirements and appropriate schedule of checks

6. Training – provide general background information about VDU health and safety and outline provision of appropriate training sessions

7. Monitoring and review – outline frequency of assessments and training for VDU users

8. Record keeping – develop an appropriate system to log all users that have been provided with eye tests and ensure that these are followed up at the required time(normally two years)

Provided by Laura Shirley, Solicitor, Eversheds. For more information or to buy the full Display Screen Equipment Policy and Management Guide, version 2.0 (ISBN: 978-1-905766-21-5), visit www.workplacelaw.net/eshop/product_info.php?product_id=235

Managing eyecare obligations – what are the options?There are three options available to employers to manage their VDU obligations.

ReimbursementThis involves organisations reimbursing employees for eye tests either out of petty cash or through the expenses system rather than having an upfront payment method. There areseveral disadvantages associated with this method. Firstly, it requires employees to incur a direct cost first which may discourage them from having their eyes tested at all.Secondly, employees may also be unclear as to how much they can claim back from theiremployer and finally, the optician will not be aware the eye test is for VDU usage, as theyare paying as a private client.

Eyecare Vouchers Under an eyecare voucher scheme, organisations have an account with a voucher supplierand purchase the required amount of eyecare vouchers upfront. These are then offered toemployees to be redeemed when they have an eye test. Vouchers are also available to helpwith the cost of corrective spectacles should they be required.

This option means there are no sudden demands for petty cash advances and no expenseclaims to reimburse - nor is there any possibility of misuse, as vouchers can only be usedfor their intended purpose and cannot be converted into cash. Eyecare vouchers have theadded benefit of offering a great deal of flexibility and choice to employees. Accor ServicesEyecare Vouchers, for example, are accepted by over 95% of Optometrists (more than 6,000opticians) in the UK.

Eyecare Vouchers do not constitute a benefit in kind and are exempt from PAYE liability.They are free of National Insurance contributions for both employers and employees andthe employer’s costs are deductible for Corporation Tax purposes. In addition, VAT is notpayable on the purchase of Eyecare Vouchers.

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Common misconceptions about voucher schemes They are only for large companies Not true – Cobra Beer employs 110 employees and uses Accor Services Eyecare Vouchers.According to Jeanelle Bester, HR Manager: “Eyecare Vouchers are fair to all,straightforward to administer and help us to meet our compliance issues easily.”

You lose money on vouchers if you don't use them Not true – you have a certificate of recommendation as a receipt and most vouchercompanies will accept the vouchers back once they have expired, for a small fee.

You don't get any help with promoting the scheme Not true – Accor Services, for example, provide posters, wallets, payslip inserts and willvolunteer staff to come to any open days to help promote this benefit.

It’s just another layer of administrationNot true – a voucher scheme will reduce the administrative burden for both employers andemployees. Sharon Hamilton is responsible for the administration of the Eyecare Vouchersscheme at UNISON, the UK’s biggest trade union, “Not only do we have the samearrangements for staff wherever they work across our 30 sites nationwide, the scheme is simple to operate and reduces administrative costs to an absolute minimum too.”

Single deal with opticiansThis involves an organisation developing a direct relationship with a local optician or largechain of opticians. There are no upfront costs to the employees but they are restricted to usingthe specified eyecare provider, which is often located close to the office. This may preventemployees from continuing with their own arrangements or seeing their regular optician.

One point to bear in mind here is that it may be preferable for the employee to choose the optician rather than having a practitioner pre-selected by an employer. This has theadvantage of permitting continuity of eyecare, maintaining the confidence of the user and is likely to result in more regular eye testing by employees. And such arrangements fit well into the requirements of the DSE Regulations.

Employers should also be wary of selecting an optometrist purely on the basis of lowestfee being charged, as an examination carried out without reference to DSE will probablynot record sufficient detail for subsequent advice relating to DSE work.

It is also about what represents good value for both the organisation and the employees.So a particular deal might be a bargain to the organisation, but if it doesn’t offer goodvalue for the employees, such as choice and flexibility, they will be less likely to make use of it or recognise that their employer is even offering a benefit to them.

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What to look for in an eyecare voucher provider What issues should employers consider when choosing an eyecare voucher provider?

Reputation and experienceHow established is the voucher provider and how have they worked in a similar way withother clients?

Find out about their clients, past and present, and understand what impact they have hadon these organisations. Ask the supplier to provide evidence of success with organisationssimilar to your own - ask for references and talk to others about how the scheme hasworked for them.

Understanding of your business objectives Make sure you communicate to the provider what you want to achieve. Does the suppliershow flexibility and talk to you about your business needs? Have they demonstrated to you that they understand your business objectives and the challenges you face?

Think about what is important to you as an organisation. For example, you may want a voucherprovider that can help you to enable employees to continue with their own arrangements.

The Telegraph Group has been a client of the Accor Services Eyecare Vouchers schemesince January 2000 and has approximately 1000 employees that use the scheme.

“The vouchers offer flexibility to our employees and offer them a greater choice ofopticians. They all live in diverse areas and work a variety of shifts, the Eyecare Vouchersscheme does not limit the individual to one particular branch of opticians with limitedregional outlets. Some employees prefer smaller independent opticians who have lookedafter them for years, while others prefer bigger chains and the convenience of being ableto arrange an appointment whilst at work,” explains Sonia Smith, Occupational HealthAdvisor for The Telegraph Group.

Joe Rodriguez, Health and Safety Advisor at the Royal National Institute of Blind Peoplewhich also uses Accor Services Eyecare Vouchers points out, “The vouchers are sufficientlyflexible to suit the exact needs of our people, who are based all over the country. While other providers of vouchers are sometimes tied to one particular eyecare provider,limiting employee choice, Accor’s offering is accepted at most optometrists. This makes it easy for our people to take advantage of the scheme.”

Do they represent good value?Make sure both the employees and the organisation receive good value and don’t be afraid to ask for anything from your voucher provider.

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BPP Education has been using Accor Services Eyecare Vouchers since March 2005.“Before we implemented the scheme, we were asking employees to claim back onexpenses. This meant employees had to wait for money to be reimbursed or in some casesthey were not able to claim back the full amount due to the varying costs of an eyeexamination. The advantages of the Eyecare Vouchers scheme is that all of our employeesbenefit from having a regular eye test – not just those who cannot afford to have one,”explains Nadia Wright.

Find out what extras are on offer. Accor Services Eyecare Vouchers, for example, makes a charitable contribution of 10p on every voucher sold to the Royal National Institute of Blind People and provides communications packs to clients to help them publicise the scheme and encourage take-up.

Also consider what specifically represents good value to you as an organisation. For example, the public sector and local authorities in particular, need to demonstrate that in everything that they do they are giving back to the local community. Accor ServicesEyecare Vouchers enables them to do this because the scheme operates in such a way that they are indirectly giving back to the local community via a number of local opticians.So rather than channelling all their money into one large chain, this also offers good valueto the community.

Set up and account managementThink about the logistics. How easy is it to set up a scheme, what sort of administration is involved and what kind of account management or additional services are available?

“Accor Services provides us with excellent customer service. We have 13 sites around the country and we wanted a scheme, which offered us the flexibility to have a number of accounts set up where each site was responsible for their own vouchers. Our dedicatedaccount manager enabled this process to be carried out smoothly and new accounts werequickly set up,” says Nadia Wright of BPP Education.

Launching and communicating an eyecare voucher scheme Those organisations that decide to outsource their VDU obligations via an eyecare voucherscheme have a real opportunity to turn this compliance issue into an employee benefit.

Media company, Bloomsberg offers every employee - not just VDU users - eyecarevouchers to redeem at an optician of their choice. The company worked with their voucher supplier, Accor Services, to run an eyesight awareness event for staff whereopticians were invited in and information was provided about the eyecare voucher scheme and how it works.

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This type of activity highlights the fact that more and more companies are starting to broadcastthe positive benefits of compliance in increasingly innovative ways. For example, organisationscould think about hosting eyecare clinics or “lunch and learn” sessions during lunch hours toraise general awareness about eye health and to encourage take-up of the scheme. Sponsoringan eyecare charity for a year or organising a fundraising event could be another way to increaseawareness among employees about the importance of regular eye testing both for themselvesand their family members.

Another cost-effective way to encourage take-up of the scheme is to plan 3-4 communicationsactivities per year. “After the initial launch, it is important to continually promote the scheme toemployees. We found the posters from Accor Services to be particularly useful and we got reallypositive feedback from our internal team briefings and email shots. The key is to review take-upevery 3-4 months and think about using different communications channels,” explains SarahBarrow, HR Officer from UK Athletics.

The Money Advice Trust, which launched an Accor Services Eyecare Voucher scheme in June 2007,has already experienced a 20% take-up rate, highlighting the demand for this benefit by employees.

Tips on launching an eyecare voucher scheme

• Having an eyecare voucher system creates a lot less administration for companiesthan claiming back the cost of eye tests through expense claims

• Research all eyecare voucher scheme providers and choose a scheme which suitsthe needs of your company

• Choose an eyecare scheme which is straightforward and simple

• Ensure that you keep employees informed as to the progress of implementing thescheme into your company

• Communicate the scheme to all employees when the vouchers have been receivedand are ready to be given out. Re-communicate at intervals throughout the year toensure that new starters are aware of the scheme

• Good planning is essential - ensure that a spreadsheet is created to record when the eye examination vouchers have been given out, when the next eye test is due and when spectacle vouchers have been given out

Source: Darren English, Head of HR, Money Advice Trust

This paper has shown that eyecare vouchers are an extremely effective way for organisations to meet their VDU obligations. Not only do they enable organisations to easily comply with theDSE regulations, they also offer employees flexibility and choice when it comes to eye testing and offer an opportunity for employers to turn this duty of care obligation into a true benefit for their staff.

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Sources of further informationWorking with VDUs, revised 2006, HSE Publications.

The Law on VDUs: An easy guide, Making sure your office complies with the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, HSE Publications 2003. This book contains a checklist which provides a useful basis on which to carry outworkstation assessments.

The Eyecare Trust for general information about eye health www.eye-care.org.uk

Open Your Eyes Report, RNIB www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/publicwebsite/public_openyoureyes.hcsp

Accor Services “Help Their Eyes” Survey 2005 www.helptheireyes.co.uk

Accor Services50 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London SW1V 2RStel: 0845 365 1217 fax: 0845 330 4410email: ecvsales@accorservices.co.ukweb: www.eyecarevouchers.co.uk

About Accor Services Eyecare VouchersAccor Services Eyecare Vouchers are the UK's leading corporate Eyecare VoucherScheme. They were established in 1993 and today over 4,000 organisations useEyecare Vouchers as the cost effective way to comply with the law.

Eyecare Vouchers is a simple corporate eyecare system, which enables organisationsto meet the legal requirement of providing eye examinations and corrective spectaclesfor employees working with VDU screens, as specified in the Health and Safety(Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992.

Accor Services Eyecare Vouchers are accepted by over 95% of Optometrists/OMPs in the UK (more than 6,000 Opticians), which enables organisations to offer greaterflexibility and freedom of choice to their employees.

For more information, contact 0845 365 1217 or visit www.eyecarevouchers.co.uk