On the ground research by Specsavers Corporate Eyecare has revealed that many workers are putting their eyesight at risk by not conforming to basic health and safety principles.
The problem is caused by wearers regularly removing safety eyewear because it is ill-fitting and causes discomfort. Dona McLafferty, corporate account manager for Specsavers Corporate Eyecare, says: “We are finding that poorly fitting and uncomfortable safety eyewear is leading to it regularly being removed when it is not safe to do so. It is vital for the selected optician to offer a complete fitting service to ensure that safety eyewear not only offers adequate coverage of the eyes but also that the glasses are comfortable enough to be worn for long periods of time. It is a pretty basic fact that safety eyewear only works when actually worn, but one that seems to be being disregarded.”
Specsavers is the largest high-street optician to stock its range of safety eyewear in-store, making it more convenient for Specsavers Corporate Eyecare customers to try on before making a purchasing decision. Many company health and safety managers expect their employees to select eyewear from a catalogue showing just outline images. Ms McLafferty continued: “We cannot emphasise enough how important it is for safety eyewear to be fitted by experts who can ensure that style, comfort and fit are all suitable for purpose.”
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