While it seems to be common sense to wear safety glasses whenever there's a risk of injury to the eyes or face, that doesn't mean workers always wear them when they should. You may have specific requirements about wearing safety glasses that either meet or exceed OSHA guidelines. However, if you haven't documented those requirements, your employees may be winging it. To ensure a safe work environment, it's necessary to understand regulations, best practices, and specific tasks you shouldn't attempt without safety glasses.
Eye Injuries Can Happen Anytime and Anywhere
Work-related incidents account for about one in four or 25% of all eye injuries. To mitigate this, OSHA does make recommendations about protective eyewear as well as mandates that employers provide safety glasses to workers at risk. These safety glasses represent the last line of defense to protect such fragile organs.
The most common types of eye injuries in the workplace are related to:
- Blunt objects: a variety of objects, including tools or materials, can cause severe damage to the eye
- Foreign matter: small pieces of matter can infiltrate the eye and cause abrasions or scratches
- Chemicals: if any hazardous chemical penetrates the eye, this can cause burning, watering, or worse
- Radiation: UV radiation can cause issues with vision
- Bloodborne pathogens: those in healthcare could be at risk when working with patients with infectious diseases
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most eye injuries at work happen when the employee is not wearing protective eyewear. These injuries could be easily avoided but instead have significant consequences, including a severe injury to the worker, increased costs, and lost days of work.
It's critical to reinforce the use of safety eyewear on the job site. You can foster this type of accountability with frequent checks and repercussions for those who don't follow protocol. You also need to ensure you have a supply of different safety glasses for various tasks and sizes. You may also have to purchase prescriptive safety glasses for those with vision impairment. Regular prescription glasses do not qualify as safety eyewear.
Activities That Always Require Safety Glasses
No matter your industry, some specific tasks should never be executed without safety glasses.
Welding
Welding is a high-hazard profession. It includes flying particles as well as exposure to vapors, fumes, and radiation. Safety glasses, safety goggles, and/or a face shield are critical to keeping welders' eyes safe. No one should ever attempt to weld without proper protective gear.
Dangerous Chemical Handling
In many industries, workers have to handle chemicals, such as in a lab setting. If your employees use these types of materials, they need to protect their eyes, just as they do their hands with gloves. Chemicals that are liquids have the opportunity to splash. Should this happen, the worker would need immediate aid.
Woodworking
There are many aspects of woodworking that can pose a danger to the eyes. If workers are cutting or planing wood, there is a chance that a piece of wood could splinter and strike the eye. Additionally, any type of sanding work involves a large concentration of small elements that could irritate the eye and cause scratching of the cornea.
Construction-Related Tasks
Construction sites are innately dangerous. There are multiple hazards to the eyes. Stray nails and falling debris or dust are two culprits. Your construction crews should wear protective eyewear during every facet of building, particularly when using heavy-duty tools or doing any demo.
Manufacturing Machinery Work
Manufacturing is an industry that routinely has a large number of eye injuries. These vary widely, depending on the specific role of the worker. Many of these workers are responsible for running and maintaining heavy machinery. No matter what that machine does or how safe it is, there is still always the possibility of malfunction, which could be bad news for eyes.
Heavy-Duty Cleaning
If your employees must use strong cleaning supplies, they should wear protective eyewear. Fumes from these cleaning products could aggravate the eyes, which could lead to many other issues. While these workers may think that eyewear is unnecessary, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Healthcare Risks
For healthcare workers treating patients, there is the risk of acquiring an infectious disease. Some infectious diseases can be transmitted through the eye's mucous membrane. In situations where blood splatter could occur, clinicians should wear protective glasses. Just as they protect their skin with gloves or their faces with masks, their eyes need the same protection.
If any of these situations occur regularly at your place of work, then it's time to reinforce the need for safety eyewear, provide sufficient gear, and continue to train and educate your staff. Prevention is typically the best approach to reducing workplace injuries.
Product Compliance and Suitability
The product statements contained in this guide are intended for general informational purposes only. Such product statements do not constitute a product recommendation or representation as to the appropriateness, accuracy, completeness, correctness or currentness of the information provided. Information provided in this guide does not replace the use by you of any manufacturer instructions, technical product manual, or other professional resource or adviser available to you. Always read, understand and follow all manufacturer instructions.