OPTX says employers need to be aware of changes to the Australian Standard for prescription eye protection, which effectively outlaw glass prescription safety glasses.
The revised standard is reinforced by a policy statement from the WA Department of Labour Relations.
According to OPTX, workers aged 40 and over are vulnerable to an age-related condition known as presbyopia, which affects their eyesight. However, many workers who experience symptoms of vision degradation ignore them.
The old Australian Standard stated prescription safety glasses could only be legally manufactured to low impact standards.
Workers needing glasses, but doing jobs with medium impact hazards, such as machining and grinding metals, could only wear special prescription inserts under their goggles or wear safety ‘over spectacles’ on top of their normal prescription glasses.
These measures resulted in problems with fogging, restricted vision and restricted movements, as well as employee discomfort.
The new AS/NZS 1337.6:2007: Personal eye protection – Prescription eye protectors against low and medium impact stipulates that prescription safety glasses must comply with new medium impact requirements.
No glass lenses, even hardened ones, meet the new standard. The standard also stipulates requirements for the frames. Both the lenses and the frame will have indicators on them to enable safety authorities to check that any spectacles worn comply with impact protection standards.
The change to Australian Standard AS/NZS 1337.6 also requires manufacturers of prescription safety glasses to be licensed.
Industrial prescription safety glasses from certified manufacturers will carry a number of specific markings on the lens and frames and a certificate with the manufacturer's licence number for tracking if required.
The cost of new or replacement prescription safety glasses that must now meet the new standard are expected to be borne by employers, who have a duty of care to provide protective equipment for workers.
OPTX says a cost-efficient alternative to optometrist-prescribed bifocal safety glasses is to use appropriate strength 20/20 HydroTac stick-on magnifying lenses combined with a pair of safety glasses.