A Guide for Safety Directors Safety Glass Program Guide 1
Elements of An Eyeglass Program Below is a list of 9 elements that should be included in every Eyeglass Program: 1. Product Selection (for frames and lenses) 2. Vendor Selection 3. Program Design 4. Payment Options 5. Custom Service 6. Pricing 7. Order Turnaround 8. Warranty Periods 9. Auxiliary Services 2
1. Product Selection (Frames) Want employees to wear their safety glasses? To gain the greatest employee acceptance of a safety eyewear program, you ll want to provide a wide variety of frame shapes, styles and colors to suit the wearer's individual facial structure and skin tone. Workers satisfied with the comfort, fit and fashion of their frames increases the likelihood that the glasses will be worn. Want to meet safety standards for frames? All safety frames (to be in conformance with OSHA regulations) must be approved by The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) with the latest Z87 standard. All approved safety frames will prominently bear the ANSI imprint in the front and temples of the frame. 3
1. Product Selection (Lenses) Want to meet safety standards for lenses? The standard requires lenses to be capable of withstanding a free-fall impact of a 2.4oz steel ball dropped from a distance of 50 inches. Approved safety frames will bear the ANSI imprint on the lens. What type of lens should you use? There are many types of materials that can be used to make lenses. Safety lenses can be glass, plastic (CR- 39), or polycarbonate. Recommendation: Use polycarbonate for the safest eye protection currently available. Glass and plastic lenses are permissible under current OSHA regulations, however extensive independent research has determined that polycarbonate lenses provide significantly more protection. 4
2. Vendor Selection How do you select the RIGHT vendor? In selecting a vendor to provide your employees with protective eyewear, it is wise to assess their: Experience in this specialized field Variety of product offering Degree of customer support and service Order turnaround time Product liability support Price At Hi-Tech Optical, prescription safety eyewear is our primary business specialization with sales and support representatives nationwide. 5
3. Program Design How should your program be designed? There are 3 basic designs that are highly popular: A Traditional Program: Workers go to their personal eyecare professional to get an eye exam, prescription, safety glass fitting and dispensing. An Optometric Referral Network: Workers use an established network of eye care professionals within close proximity to the plant to procure safety eyewear. All prescription, fitting data, specifications, and co-pay collection (if any), is handled between the network and the lab. On-Site Dispensing Programs: A certified optician visits the customer's facility on a regularly scheduled or "as needed" basis to fit and dispense safety eyewear to the customers' employees. Hi-Tech Optical offers all of the above described programs as well as a variety of customized programs designed to address the specific or unique requirements of its customers. 6
4. Payment Options What are your payment options for employees? While most employers absorb the entire cost of providing their workers with safety prescription eyewear, some have chosen to require their employees to bear some portion of the benefit as a "co-pay" in the hopes of limiting the company's exposure to excessive program abuse. It is our experience that programs designed with little or no co-pay gain wider employee acceptance and fewer excuses for non-compliance. Payroll deduction is another option. 7
5. Customer Service What service should I expect? In selecting an eyewear service vendor, review the proficiency and depth of experience in the Customer Service Department. Gaining a quick answer to a thorny technical question or an expedited shipment in an emergency can become a frustration to the person in charge of a company's safety eyewear program. A well-trained, courteous and knowledgeable staff can save you many headaches in effectively administering your safety eyewear program. 8
6. Pricing What s the price? As in any procurement decision, pricing can be a major concern. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to compare prescription eyewear pricing since few vendors use identical pricing formats. Tips: Be sure to check all the ingredients of a pricing proposal carefully -- frame selection, lens type, lens material, special eye size surcharge, etc -- to be sure you are comparing all elements equitably. (Be aware that what may appear to be a good price may actually be more expensive.) Also consider the individual demographics of your company's work force. For instance, a younger labor pool would suggest high single-vision lens usage, while and older work force would indicate a greater need for more expensive bi-focal and tri-focal lens powers. 9
7. Order Turnaround How long will orders take? Safety prescription eyewear is a time-sensitive protective device and must be worn by the employee as soon as possible. While occasional backlogs and unusual prescriptions may periodically delay the turnaround time of an individual order, the following schedule should serve as a benchmark in judging the performance of your safety eyewear provider: Plastic Lenses: 3 to 6 Production Days Glass & Polycarbonate Lenses: 4 to 7 Production Days Should you experience delays beyond these parameters, it may be wise to review either your program design or solicit the proposal of a competing vendor. 10
8. Warranty Periods What s the warranty on the frames and glasses? Given the demanding environment in which the product must perform, safety eyewear should be fabricated to take a great deal of abuse. In selecting an appropriate vendor, check to see that the provider will stand behind its product and service. At Hi-Tech Optical, prescription accuracy is unconditionally guaranteed and frame materials are guaranteed for a minimum of one year, regardless of use. 11
9. Auxiliary Services What other services do you need? Here are a few of the extra features a well-designed safety eyewear program can contain: Special cost center billings Vision acuity screening Safety eyewear audits Employee utilization reports In addition, it is wise to anticipate your future program demands and seek an eyewear provider that will grow as your program evolves. Complete, comprehensive and flexible safety eyewear programs are our specialty at Hi-Tech Optical. 12
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