Workplace Eye Safety

WORKPLACE EYE SAFETY FACTS

• Every day, as many as 2,000 workers suffer eye injuries on the job. There were an estimated 97,000 workplace-related eye injuries treated in US hospital emergency rooms in 2002.
• As of 2003, the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that eye injuries total more than $300 million a year in lost production time, medical expenses and worker compensation.
• The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics states that workers aged 25-44 accounted for 62 percent of eye injuries and 81 percent of those were men.
• About 52 percent of all eye injury cases occurred in manufacturing or trade, 20 percent in the service industry and 15 percent occurred in construction. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics)
• More than one in four cases of eye injuries occur at work with as many as 50 percent of those injured wearing no eye protection at all. (Source: USACHPPM - U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, Vision Conservation and Readiness Program)
• 90 percent of all job-related eye injuries can be prevented by wearing the proper protective eyewear.
• Only eye protection that has been certified by the American National Standards Institute should be used and must have "ANSI Z87" clearly stamped on the frame or lens.

TEN EYE SAFETY TIPS FOR THE WORKPLACE AND HOME

ASSESS! Look carefully at plant operations. Inspect work areas, access routes and equipment. Study eye accident and injury reports. Identify operations and areas that present eye hazards.

TEST! Uncorrected vision problems can cause accidents. Use vision testing in your employee pre-placement and routine physical examinations.

PROTECT! Select protective eyewear designed for a specific duty or hazard. Protective eyewear must meet the current standards referenced by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and later revisions.

PARTICIPATE! For maximum protection against eye injuries, establish a 100 percent mandatory program that requires eye protection in all operation areas of your plant. Experience shows this kind of program prevents more injuries and is easier to enforce than one limited to certain departments, areas or jobs.

FIT! Workers cannot be expected to use their protective eyewear unless it fits well and is comfortable. To ensure that eyewear is adequate, have it fitted by an eye care professional or someone trained to do this. Provide the means for repair of eyewear and require each worker to be responsible for his or her own gear.

PLAN FOR AN EMERGENCY! Establish first-aid procedures for eye injuries. Make eyewash stations accessible, especially where chemicals are used. Train workers in basic first aid and identify those with more advanced first-aid training.

EDUCATE! Conduct ongoing educational programs to establish, maintain and reinforce the need for protective eyewear. Add eye safety to your regular employee education/training programs and include it as a part of new employee orientation.

SUPPORT! Management support is key to having a successful eye safety program. Management should all set an example by wearing protective eyewear whenever and wherever needed.

REVIEW! Continually review and, when needed, revise your accident prevention policies. The goal should be to have NO eye injuries or accidents!

PUT IT IN WRITING! When all parts of your safety program have been created, put them in writing. Display a copy of the policy in areas where workers go, and include a review of the policy in new employee orientation.

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