Eye health in focus at Lihir

Around 80 per cent of what we perceive comes from our sense of sight, which is why looking after our eyes is so important for our safety and wellbeing. To support our team members’ eye health, free optometrist visits were offered to employees at Lihir earlier this year.   

Martin Todman said that the need for eye health checks was originally identified when a National Supervisor was observed not being able to read the prepared pre-start notes.  

“We realised that written messages including safety messages weren’t being conveyed in the morning and quickly discovered that the reason for this was likely difficulty with vision,” he said. 

“Your ability to work safely as a Supervisor is dependent on how well you can read, plan and communicate your daily requirements with your team members. 

“This is one reason why regular eye testing is so important for keeping our teams safe and promoting their wellbeing.” 

The first ‘Eye Health’ drive was conducted on-site by a registered Optometrist from Lihir Medical Centre and included an eye check and issuing of glasses prescriptions as needed. 15 national supervisors and national support staff attended the check-ups, with plans for these to be offered again in future.  

On the 4^th of September the first pair of prescription glasses was delivered, with Site Manager Philip Marshall presenting Field Safety Officer John Gerry with his new glasses.