There’s a saying that goes “keep your eyes on the prize.” Perhaps it should be amended to “our eyes are the prize,” as that’s how great a gift vision is. This Friday, our Safety Training Tips editor celebrates Workplace Eye Safety and Health Month with ideas for keeping your eyes safe on … and off … the job.
Vision protection generally comes in two forms: safety glasses and safety goggles. Statistics show that the majority of employees who suffered eye injuries on the job either weren’t wearing eye protection or were wearing the wrong kind. Here’s a quick review of when safety glasses are appropriate and when goggles are preferable:
- Safety glasses protect against flying objects or glare. They have extra sturdy frames and either clear or tinted lenses that are strong enough to resist impact. Regular safety glasses will protect against flying objects from the front. But if an employee needs additional protection for possible flying objects that come from the side, he or she should wear safety glasses with side shields. If objects could hit the eyes from the top or bottom as well, the employee needs safety glasses with eyecup shields.
- Safety goggles protect against dust, splashes, and flying objects coming from any direction. Some goggles have a cup over each eye. Others have a frame and lens that extend over both eyes. If goggles have a rigid frame, they are often cushioned to protect the skin around the eyes. Some goggles are directly ventilated to let air circulate around the eyes. Indirectly ventilated goggles are sometimes required, however, to keep out dust particles and chemical vapors.
Train your workers to follow injury-preventing eye safety rules. You should cover some important basic eye safety rules with all employees who work in areas with eye hazards as well as those employees who may go into those areas only occasionally (for example, an office worker going through an “eye protection required” area to get to the supervisor’s office with some paperwork for a line supervisor). Here’s what to teach employees to do:
- Obey workplace warning signs requiring eye protection.
- Always put on protective eyewear before entering an area where hazards may be present.
- When in doubt about the eye hazards, assume they’re present.
- Make sure eye protection fits properly and comfortably.
- Inspect protective eyewear before each use and replace immediately if there are any defects.
- Store eye protection safely where it won’t get scratched or damaged, and keep it clean.
- If you’re not sure which type of eye protection is required, ask a supervisor before you start the job
Urge employees to protect their eyes off the job as well. When employees are home doing yard work or working in a home workshop, they may need either safety glasses or safety goggles, depending on the task and its hazards.
For example, eye protection is definitely required when working with a circular or chain saw. It’s also a good idea to wear eye protection when using a lawn mower or weed whacker, since bits of branches or even small pebbles can fly up. You should also encourage employees to think about eye health and getting regular eye exams. Eye exams not only determine the need for a new lens prescription, they also identify eye problems and diseases in their early stages when they’re most treatable.
Why It Matters …
- March is Workplace Eye Health and Safety Month, which makes this the perfect time to train employees to protect their vision.
- Most eye accidents are preventable, and many eye health problems can be successfully treated if diagnosed early.
- Even if most employees understand the need to wear eye protection on the job, they may not use it at home when performing tasks that could lead to eye injuries.