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Managing eye health in the workplace
Managing eye health in the workplace should include employers and their employees working together to ensure safe working environments, without risks to the health of employees, contractors or other persons in or near workplaces.
Intended results are that:
- eye health management is accepted as an important part of maintaining a healthy and safe workplace
- employees can comfortably perform visually demanding work
- employees can demonstrate eyesight standards necessary for the safe performance of vision critical tasks
- controls are in place to eliminate or minimise the risk of eye injury
Employers should ensure that employees are aware of their responsibilities by:
- documenting work practices and communicating these to all employees undertaking work with an elevated risk of eye injury
- revising employee awareness of workplace first aid arrangements and how to access these quickly if an eye injury occurs
- advising all employees with concerns about their eye health or eyesight to seek advice from an optometrist or medical professional
- promoting general awareness of eye health as a key part of every employee’s personal health care arrangements
Employees have a duty to:
- follow safe work practices to minimise the risk of eye injury
- manage their eye health at work and outside work
- use personal protective equipment in accordance with any instructions given by the employer to ensure safe and proper use, especially for tasks with an elevated risk of eye injury
- ensure that they know how to appropriately respond to an eye injury and who to contact for first aid in the event of an accident
- ensure that they satisfy prescribed standards of vision before performing vision-critical tasks
- advise their employer of any visual or eye discomfort or injury in the workplace
- cooperate with their employer to identify and correct any factors contributing to visual or eye discomfort, strain, or the risk of eye injury in their workplace
- seek advice from an optometrist or medical professional if they have any concerns about their eye health or eyesight
- set up appropriate personal health care arrangements to manage their own eye health
Screen based users can be encouraged to follow simple steps to reduce the risk of vision strain:
1. Give it a rest: Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet (6 metres) away.
2. Size up: Increase font size to use SBE at a comfortable distance for the eyes.
3. Sharpen up: Better resolution offers greater clarity and usually more comfort.
4. Reduce glare: Try to reduce glare where possible and ensure lighting is not directly behind or in front of your head.
5. Look down: A computer monitor or hand-held device can be positioned slightly below eye level.
4. Reduce glare: Try to reduce glare where possible and ensure lighting is not directly behind or in front of your head.
5. Look down: A computer monitor or hand-held device can be positioned slightly below eye level.
Further information
- See: Useful links