I’ve been asked if we have any legal obligation to provide eye tests to drivers. I know there isn’t a direct “..you must provide eyetests…” obligation, like the DSE one, but then I started to think “Duty of care….Duty of care……”.

As employers, the company surely has a DoC to ensure drivers are fit to drive. It would be difficult to argue that good eyesight isn’t a part of that, and yet a periodic licence check and maybe even a driver training programme wouldn’t check that.

My initial thought was it’s our responsibility to check if employees are fit to drive (license check, declaration of fitness, maybe). We do check new starters against the Highway Code recommendations (x metres from the registration plate). It’s then their responsibility to be fit to drive (get your eyes checked regularly, etc.)………but now I’m not so sure. That’s what thinking did!

I’m not an optician, but I’m guessing the DSE eyetest vouchers wouldn’t cover it either.
What do others think? How do you address it, if at all?

In short no, there is nothing in law that says you as an employer must provide eye tests for any employees. Unless this is a specific requirement for a specific task. The DSE eyetest is not a test of eyesight it is a test of vision specific to a very small range of sight, eg to be able to see the sreen clearly from a foot or two and not have any affect on general vision as oposed to eyesihgt over a few hundred feet. The eye sight standard for driving applies at the driving test only, after that it is the drivers responsibility until they reach 80 when it is tested as part of an examination of fitness to drive persay, and then it is not always necessary. If you as employer laydown specifics eye sight standards you also take on the responsibility for checking that standard is being met with or without glasses, you could then become liable in the lossest of meaning to provide glasses for the defect with vision to meet the minimum you laid down. Generally no there is no duty unless you creat one yourself.

quote=canopener] ..............fitness to drive doesn't start or end with eye sight; you might also consider general medical fitness, fitness or otherwise through the use of prescription or recreational drugs, alcohol etc. If you are going to provide an eye test, then what about a medicals, drug testing etc?

......... I suggest that routine provision of eye tests and medical checks etc is in most cases a step too far. .......

Thanks for the responses - it's put my mind at rest that we're not missing something major.