Thoughts/opinions friends regarding; - The provision of glasses by an employer to their staff whose eyes are poor [age or disease] or have deteriorated since recruitment where the condition of the eye could lead to an accident and staff are required to have good eyes for their job [good eyes with glasses if needed] I have my own ideas what’s yours? I have not been asked the question for years but I am antisipating the question coming up again shortly

Deterioration by age or disease of eyes (as long as not related to work), IMHO, is not the responsibility of the employer. BUT: In a past employment we had a partially sited person working in maintenance. We carried out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment the results of which allowed him to carry on working. We did not provide him with glassess that was down to him. Rich

Bob, what sort of glasses are you talking about? Safety glasses must be provided where the work requires them. The DSE regs require eye tests and the provision of glasses were needed, but only for using the DSE. If good eye sight is a job requirement, I'm afraid it comes down to the suitability of the emploee to do the work under consideration, it is medical suitability for the work thing. There are no douibt some employers who would help the employee obtain suitable glasses. To an extent its just like the employee needs two legs to do a job but if he loses one he has to change his job because he is no longer fit enough to undertake his previous work. There are some jobs that require 20-20 vision so needing glasses menas the person concern no longer meets the standard required.

What if as in construction, it is a requirement to wear safety spectacles at all times whilst on site? As PPE would the employer be responsible?

I can think of no circumstance other than DSe where there is a specific requirement to provide prescription spectacles. I don't believe that even prescription safety spectacles fall into this category, though I know in practice many company will provide them to those needing them.

Stuff4blokes Be careful what you are saying here as there could be instances where the use of a specific design wheelchair may be required beyond the standard issue varieties, which as you statte have limited usefulness in some situations - might not the employer be responsible? Is it not a reasonable adaptation? Yes there are limits but not necessarily clear cut. Bob