What does an employer have to reimburse?

According to article 8.1 of the Working Conditions Decision employers must provide personal protective equipment (PPE) if risks cannot be eliminated by other means. Article 8.2 states that these funds must be provided free of charge. Article 44 of the Working Conditions Act also states that the costs of these measures may not be recovered from the employee.

If an employee needs prescription glasses to do their work safely, and there is a risk of eye injury, the employer must fully reimburse approved prescription safety glasses. This applies to single lenses, but also to multifocal or multifocal optimal variants.

See here what an employer must reimburse for prescription safety glasses

What will change in 2025?

The compensation itself does not change, but the requirements for what you reimburse do. In 2024, the new norm is EN-EN-ISO 16321-1:2022 entered. It replaces the well-known EN 166 standard as a basis for certifying safety glasses. Until November 2025, glasses may still be certified under EN 166, but not after that. New certifications must then always take place on the basis of NEN 16321.

Please note: Existing EN 166 glasses remain valid until the end of their certification period (usually five years). So you don't have to replace existing glasses immediately, but new glasses must meet the new standard from November 2025. As an employer, you must therefore check whether the glasses still meet the correct standards with each compensation.

Read more about the NEN-EN-ISO 16321-1 standard and what this means for your organization here

What does this mean for you as an employer?

You remain obliged to reimburse approved glasses. But after November 2025, you must make sure that the glasses you reimburse meet the correct standard. If you continue to offer glasses that are only certified under EN 166, they can no longer be replaced after their certification period without complying with NEN-EN-ISO 16321-1.

In short: if you want to continue to comply with the law, you must check whether the glasses meet the current standard with each fee. This prevents discussions and ensures that you do not reimburse glasses that may no longer be used soon.

Why does the RI&E play a role in this?

Out of the annual report of the Dutch Labour Inspectorate shows that in 2024, the number of employers with a current RI&E rose from 50% to 64%. The Inspectorate emphasizes that the RI&E forms the basis for determining what risks employees face, and therefore also whether eye protection is mandatory.

If your RI&E shows that there is a risk of eye injury (for example due to flying particles, dust or chemicals), you must provide and reimburse appropriate protection. The introduction of the new standard makes it extra important that the PPE you offer is actually suitable and approved. It is no longer sufficient to reimburse without checking whether the glasses still meet the requirements that will apply later.

What does this mean in concrete terms for your organization?

• The obligation to reimburse prescription safety glasses remains.
• The standard that the glasses must comply with will change from November 2025.
• New glasses must then be certified according to NEN-EN-ISO 16321-1.
• So check carefully whether your supplier uses this standard.
• Do you still use models under EN 166? This is still allowed until 2025 for new certification and until 2030 for existing glasses.
• Make the link with your RI&E. Without insight into the risks, you cannot justify or reimburse appropriate PPE.