Looking to once again pick on the expertise of you folks with something that has been questioned with me:

This week I have announced the imminent introduction of mandatory eye protection at my company: the place uses chemicals, steam, pressure washing, compressed air and mechanical processes crushing glass for 80-90% of the work yet NO-ONE has historically worn glasses for any of these tasks. As you can imagine i'm very popular this week! :)

I have bought several pairs of safety spec for individuals to trial before making a call on which type to bulk purchase. I have also just got hold of some overspecs for the spectacle-wearing community to trial, this however is where the questions have started rolling in:

- I have been asked about the legality of overspecs as PPE: does anyone know any reason why overspecs shouldn't be valid PPE? (The PPE at Work Regs 1992 guidance book (page 26 to be specific) seems to accept them)

- Does the employee have the right to demand prescription safety specs instead of over-specs? (I really can't see why they can but it has been raised by Management so I have to check!)

I've trawled through HSE books and the only mention I really see is with the PPE at Work Regs 1992 guidance, which would indicate overspecs (or eyeshields as they describe them) to be ok, just wondered if this was a scenario any of you had experienced and what your findings were!

Alan

Cheers Maroc

I think part of the problem is a 'fear of change' culture, the company is currently undergoing some big changes to improve and update the processes and technologies utilised, but the attitude to H&S needs bringing up to date with it, a good example being Hi-viz only introduced 6 months ago in what is a very busy tanker / FLT yard (and this was met with resistance!).
I'm happy for the guys to trial the overspecs (there's only around 15 guys with specs on site), and if overwhelming opinion is that they're not fit for purpose then i'll happily look down the prescription route. I just don't want spend needlessly when I'll have to supply overspecs for visitors etc anyway. As I say, lots of grumbling around the legality of enforcing overspecs, just don't want to drop the ball with pushing forward with them :)

All fair comment David and definitely something I will take on board!

As I say, didn't want to go down the route of prescription glasses without assessing the overspec alternative, which is not only a cheaper route (and yes I know in an ideal world we shouldn't put as price on H&S, but unfortunately my Manager doesn't share this sentiment), but also I felt that overspecs would provide greater protection in the sense that they have a greater surface area and over/side guards.
Not being a spectacle wearer, it's not something I can speak of with any great authority, hence why I bought the trial pairs to give to our spectacle wearers to assess for me.

Certainly if feedback is along your lines I will put a case together to providing prescription glasses.

More significantly (depending on what you're doing), I don't think there's such a thing as a 1F(T) prescription glasses. You can get 1F prescription glasses easily enough, but if you need the 'T' (ie, if they are to be worn other than in room temperature only) I think you have to use overglasses. I'd be very happy to be proven wrong - I've put quite a lot of time into trying to source 1F(T) prescription glasses.

When we did our overglasses preferences survey, Bolle Squale were the least bad we found.

Don;t forget to ask for free Sun Glasses (yellow cycling glasses) - only perk I ever used to get! (and now that's a thing of the past :(

For me (being old, deaf and a spec wearer) Prescription safety glasses and where necessary, a face shield.

A: As sight is the most important issue it must be managed in that way and cost cannot be a factor when a persons vision is concerned wearing gloves is one thing but wearing glassess is another especially when you do not normally wear glasses

I am concerned that you are introducing mandatory PPE re this area yet you appear to be asking fundamental questions after the policy has been signed off?

There has been some good advice already given so please go with it and at all stages involve the workforce as buy-in will not be there unless you do

That said its good that eye protection is being considered but a persons vision is the most important thing and such protection should only be needed when there is a real risk and in no other case-blanket PPE policies are poor policies in my view ---as an experiment try wearing goggles etc that have been deliberately scratched/marked/mist'ed [scratched etc. properly!] etc. and see how it affects your working day thereafter we will have more appreciation

Best of luck

I agree with others that overglasses (although perfectly valid PPE) are uncomfortable to wear all day, and it would help with the acceptance of this policy to provide prescription glasses.

When eye protection is mandatory, glasses wearers often try to get away with just wearing their normal glasses. If you provide them with prescription ones, this is less likely (though it does still happen).