Vision Testing for Forklift Drivers

robincsar

Would it be appropriate to test shipping dept. forklift drivers' vision as concerns arise about the employees ability to drive their forklift safely? Would we be over-stepping any ADA or employee privacy issues?. We do conduct a cursory vision test post-offer. Current employee's who wear vision correction are required to get safety Rx glasses.

Don D

In discussing this with our Safety Manager, neither of us sees a problem with doing what you suggest. Our pre-employment physical includes the stand up vision chart test and that's all they ever have and over 20 odd years may rotate through forklift jobs with no intervening vision test. We might do this too. We've even thought about color coded tags or badges that would indicate such a requirement for corrective safety glasses on such drivers. We'd have to pay for it of course. Good idea.

Hatchetman

The post-offer eye examination is subject to it being "job-related and consistent with business necessity."

Take a look at ADA regulations at 29CFR1630.10 and 1630.14.
[url]http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_01/29cfr1630_01.html[/url]

For more information on what you may and may not do with post-offer "medicals" and what it takes to screen individuals related to safety issues (which I assume woould be what your purpose is for having a more extnesive eye examination for indivudals who drive the forklifts) take a look at EEOC's guidance on post-offer medical examinations at:
[url]http://www.eeoc.gov/docs/preemp.html[/url]

hrqueen

Funny you should ask this question. We just tested the vision of our forklift truck drivers for the first time last week as part of the three year OSHA training requirement. We used the Snellen eye chart, a rudimentary test, and my intention was to follow our state's vision requirement for obtaining a driver's license. Fortunately, everyone passed the test.

In our plant, eliminating someone's ability to drive a forklift truck would not affect that employee's job, as driving is only part of their daily duties.