Notably, over 2,000 American workers have eye injuries at work each day that necessitate medical attention. However, 90% of these kinds of eye injuries can be avoided or at least reduced, according to eye doctors and safety experts, if proper eye protection is worn. Getting scratches on the cornea or getting foreign objects or chemicals in the eyes are common workplace eye injuries.
Exposure to ultraviolet or infrared radiation and steam burns or liquid splashes into the eyes are other common causes of eye injuries. Additionally vulnerable to catching infectious diseases through eye contact are workers in the medical area labs janitorial services and other industries.
Some infectious diseases are transmissible through the mucous membranes of the eyes. This may occur if you touch your eyes with infected fingers or other objects come into close contact with blood splashes or breathe in respiratory droplets from coughing. Two primary causes of eye injuries occur in the workplace.
According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics survey about three out of every five workers who suffered eye injuries did not have eye protection on at the time of the incident. These workers frequently expressed the opinion that in that particular situation, protection wasn't required.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that when there is a reasonable probability of harm that may be avoided with protective gear, workers must wear eye and facial protection.
When there is an eye threat, personal protection equipment (PPE) such as face shields, safety glasses, or full-face respirators must be worn. Several factors, such as the type of danger exposure, other protective gear worn, and the user's visual needs, determine how much vision protection is necessary.
When the potential eye hazards listed below exist workplace eye protection is required.
The term digital eye strain sometimes referred to as computer vision syndrome refers to a group of vision and eye-related problems brought on by prolonged use of computers tablets e-readers and cell phones. The average American worker uses a computer for seven hours a day whether they work in an office or from home.
Aiming to prevent digital eye strain in the workplace the American Optometric Association is educating employers and employees during March Save Your Vision Month. The 20-20-20 rule states that you should take a 20-second break every 20 minutes to look at something 20 feet away to help reduce digital eye strain. Some occupations carry a greater risk of eye injuries than others.
The types of clear safety glasses you need to wear will depend on the threats in your workplace. If you work in an area where dust-flying items or particles are present, you need to put on safety glasses with side shields.
Your optometrist can help you and your employer assess possible eye risks at work and decide what kind of eye protection you might need.
You must read” Importance of safety glasses at work”
You can take the following four steps to prevent injuries to your eyes:
Every task should have its hazards evaluated to determine the best men’s safety glasses to wear. There are various kinds of eye protection.
Safety glasses both prescription and nonprescription. Safety glasses are made to offer far greater eye protection, even though they may appear to be typical dress glasses. Compared to conventional eyeglasses, the lenses and frames are far more robust. Safety glasses need to adhere to American National Standards Institute (ANSI) requirements. Search for the Z87 mark on the frame or lens. In general working environments where dust chips or flying particles may be present safety glasses offer eye protection. Side protection can also be obtained with wraparound-style safety glasses and side shields.
Polycarbonate, plastic, and TrivexTM materials are available for safety lenses. The highest degree of impact protection is offered by polycarbonate lenses though all four varieties must either match or surpass the minimal specifications to safeguard your eyes.
Protecting against impact dust and chemical splash is possible with goggles on. Foam-padded goggles are very resistant to impacts just like safety glasses. They also offer a safe shield around the whole eye shielding it from all angles of potential danger.
Goggles can be worn on top of contact lenses and prescription glasses. Helmets and face shields. Full-face shields or over-prescription goggles provide protection when working with chemicals, heat, or blood-borne pathogens. For welding and handling, molten materials helmets are utilized. It's not enough to limit protective eyewear to face shields and helmets. To protect the eyes when the shield is lifted, they must be worn in conjunction with safety glasses or goggles.
When using lasers or welding, wear goggles or helmets with specific filters to shield your eyes from optical radiation exposure. For protective effectiveness, single-vision safety glasses must fit correctly. It's also important to maintain eye protection equipment correctly. Devices that are dirty and scratched make it harder to see create glare and increase the risk of accidents. Wearing the proper protective eyewear can help keep you safe from any kind of eye hazard especially when combined with machine guards screened or divided workstations and other engineering controls.
There isn't much protection that contact lenses can offer against occupational eye hazards. Wearing contact lenses does not, however, appear to raise the risk of eye injury. Because contact lenses frequently improve vision in the workplace, they may increase worker productivity and safety.
The field of vision for people wearing contact lenses is typically greater than that of people wearing glasses. Additionally, they frequently have less visual distortion—especially when prescribed higher-power lenses.
Furthermore, using contact lenses rather than glasses can enhance the comfort and fit of eye protection gear like full-face respirators and splash goggles. According to the American Optometric Association, employees should be able to wear contact lenses in most eye-hazardous situations.
Nonetheless, under the specifications for all workers performing the same job, these workers must wear eye protection over contact lenses. There are situations where the safety of contact lenses needs to be evaluated case-by-case such as when there are dangerous chemical fumes present.
Verify your employer's safety guidelines before wearing contact lenses. To find out if wearing contact lenses at work is safe for you and your employer consult an optometrist.
You must read” Prevent Eye Injuries”.
After an injury get medical help as soon as you can especially if you experience injury, eye pain blurred vision or loss of vision. It is advisable to perform a few basic first-aid measures until medical assistance arrives. Treatment for chemicals in the eyes:
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