AN120332 – Mechanical Opticians (State) Award
(i) Ventilation - employers shall provide adequate ventilation in optical workshops in conformity with the provisions of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation 2001.
(ii) Washing Facilities — Proper washing facilities shall be provided for all employees. Where practicable employers shall provide for all employees engaged in lens surfacing hot and cold showers which shall be separate from lavatories. A period of up to five minutes shall be allowed to all employees before the lunch period and before the evening finishing time for the purpose of washing and changing.
(iii) Dining Room — Proper facilities away from work benches and surfacing machinery shall be provided, and boiling water shall be provided at meal times. Any workshop having more than fifteen employees shall provide a dining room apart from the workshop.
(iv) Lockers — Each employee shall be provided with an approved locker.
(v) Tea Breaks — A maximum of twenty minutes shall be allowed for tea breaks. Such breaks to be agreed between the employer and employees but shall not exceed twenty minutes in total time taken during each day.
(vi) Notice Board — The employer shall permit a notice board of reasonable dimensions to be erected in a prominent position in his/her establishment upon which accredited union representatives shall be permitted to post union notices.
(vii) The employer shall provide all tools necessary.
(viii) The employer shall supply to each employee engaged in hand edging a pair of properly fitted safety glasses.
(ix) First-aid Allowance - An employee who has been trained to render first-aid and who is the current holder of appropriate first-aid qualifications such as a certificate from the St. john Ambulance or similar body, shall be paid a weekly allowance set out in Schedule A - Part 2 (First-aid Allowance).
(x) Protective Clothing — Dust coats shall be provided and laundered weekly to all employees. Protective footwear shall be provided to all employees required to work in an area where his/her/her feet are subject to some hazards. An employee who does not wear safety footwear provided as above cancels his/her right to any further issue. In the event of a dispute in regard to this subclause the matter shall be determined by the Industrial Committee.
