According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH):
Each day about 2,000 U.S. workers sustain a job-related eye injury that requires medical treatment. About one third of the injuries are treated in hospital emergency departments, and more than 100 of these injuries result in one or more days away from work.
Primary causes of on-the-job eye injuries include:
Striking or scraping:
Small particles or objects striking or scraping the eye, such as: dust, cement chips, metal slivers, and wood chips. Large objects may also strike the eye or face, or a worker may run into an object causing blunt-force trauma to the eyeball or eye socket.
Penetration:
Objects like nails, staples, or slivers of wood or metal can go through the eyeball and result in a permanent loss of vision.
Chemical and thermal burns:
Industrial chemicals or cleaning products are common causes of chemical burns to one or both eyes. Thermal burns to the eye also occur, often among welders.
Engineering controls and comprehensive hazard assessments are crucial to helping workers avoid eye injuries and diseases. Safety training is a big part of the picture as well, and Summit’s library of over 300 safety topics contains a number of courses to offer during Workplace Eye Wellness Month or any time of the year.
Eye Safety: No Second Chances
Complies with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.132
Using scenes from a variety of jobsites and scenarios, this course helps your workers develop respect for eye protection and an understanding of the lifelong consequences of not using adequate eye protection.
Eye Safety: Focused on Protection
This course teaches workers about workplace hazards, protective eyewear and best practices to help build the good habit of always having the appropriate eye and face protection, and consistently using that protective equipment whenever it is required.
Here are some great ideas on how your company can participate by bringing awareness to the importance of Workplace Eye Wellness Month:
- Host a safety meeting or toolbox talk on eye safety
- Deliver an eye safety message from the management leadership to the staff
- Contribute to the conversation on social media using the hashtag #WorkplaceEyeWellnessMonth
- Include information on your company’s participation in Workplace Eye Wellness Month and workplace eye safety tips in your company’s newsletter
- Put up eye safety posters around the workplace
- Conduct a review of all eye safety signs in your workplace to ensure there are adequate Caution and Reminder signs to “Wear Eye Protection” in the areas that they are needed. Order more or replace as needed.
- Put your employees to the test with this fun Workplace Eye Safety Quiz
To prevent an eye injury at work, Prevent Blindness provides the following tips:
- Know the eye safety hazards at work by completing an eye hazard assessment.
- Eliminate hazards before starting work. Use machine guarding, work screens or other engineering controls.
- Use proper eye protection that fits correctly such as non-prescription or prescription safety glasses, goggles, face shields, welding helmets or full-face respirators.
WHY WORKPLACE EYE WELLNESS MONTH IS IMPORTANT
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It’s very relevant
Eye wellness is a topic that is especially relevant in the digital age we live in. Besides specific hazards of injury related to some professions, it is a topic that affects every worker who has to sit in front of a screen.
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It raises our awareness
The number of people affected by Computer Vision Syndrome is increasing. However, many of us do not know what can be done at the workplace to improve eye wellness for all. March gives us the opportunity to discuss and agree on better organizational policies to solve the issue.
It reminds us to be healthy
Eye wellness is also an individual goal. Whether it’s wearing a pair of safety goggles when required, or eating nutritious food that’s good for our eyes and body, we need to work towards improving our eye health and preventing injury and disease.
Sources:
- March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month,HSI
- EYE SAFETY AWARENESS DURING WORKPLACE EYE WELLNESS MONTH. weeklysafty.com
Make your appointment today
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At Golden Eye Optometry, we view good vision care as front line protection at every age. A routine eye exam can detect more than poor vision. It can shed early light on glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts and diabetes.
