Printable version of eye safety tool box talk instructors. March is workplace eye wellness montha good time to refocus attention on your eye protection program. Unless a worker is assigned in a hazardous environment, hes not likely to wear any protective eye gear. Perhaps the application doesnt seem that hazardous, or maybe the safety glasses you have are uncomfortable, scratched up, or they fog too easily. Complete eye safety s prescription safety eyewear programs take the hassle out of ordering safety glasses for your employees. The majority of eye injuries do not occur because we failed to wear safety glasses. This document describes the safe work procedure for minimizing the potential for eye injury. Preventing workplace eye injuries american academy of. Listen to hear how easy it is to protect your eyes on the job. According to the national institute for occupational safety and health niosh, about 2,000 people in the us sustain visionthreatening eye injuries on the job every day. If you work in an environment that is more strenuous on your eyes, it is important to maintain and perhaps even increase your eye safety. Computer eye strain safety toolbox talks meeting topics. Includes information about eye safety, types of eye and face protection, and first aid for eye injuries.
Once you have taken these basic safety measures, it is important to protect your eyes by wearing protective eyewear suited to the job, process or procedure. Eye safety whether you work in a factory or in front of a computer, you should be protecting your vision on the job. Complete eye safety highquality prescription safety eye. Eye protection training on the use of eye protection in the workplace from the washington state dept. Luckily, 90 percent of all workplace eye injuries are preventable with the use of proper safety eyewear. The type of safety eye protection you should wear depends on the hazards in your workplace. Think of the hundreds of times youve completed a task at work without eye protection, injury free. Of the total amount of work related injuries, 1020 % will cause temporary or permanent vision loss. Work involves the use of metal on metal, such as hammer and chisel injuries. It may be supplemented with other materials and samples of the eye protection available at your work site. Taking a few eye safety precautions in your everyday life can dramatically decrease the risk of eye injuries. In concert with efforts by concerned voluntary groups, osha has begun a nationwide information campaign to improve workplace eye protection. Thank you for visiting our website you are exiting the department of labors web server. All work areas with eye hazards should have easy access to emergency eyewash stations.
Lifelines shall be erected to provide fall protection where work is required in areas where permanent protection is not in place. Eye safety in the workplace is a commonly overlooked issue. Eye safety in the workplace is not something to take lightly. Every march, year after year, eye health organizations make a concerted effort to educate americans about eye protection in the workplace. We all know when to wear eye protection on the job, but today we want to talk about other eye injuries that occur and how to prevent them. And yet, year after year, we hear the same statistics. From the vision council, with the american society of safety engineers. As you will learn here, most of these safety considerations are simple and easy to adopt on a daily basis. For outdoor work, damp down work areas and seal dusty surfaces. All employees need to be familiarized with the location of these stations so they can find their way to the nearest one even. Eye safety and protection your vision all about vision. Eliminate hazards before starting work by using machine guards, work screens or other engineering controls. Corporate customers are assigned a trained optician who can answer your questions and help customize a plan to fit your needs and budget. More than 600,000 eye injuries related to sports occur each year, and approximately onethird of these injuries occur in children1.
More than 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day. This eye safety training video is available in australian, canadian, uk and us versions. The department of labor does not endorse, takes no responsibility for, and exercises no control over the linked organization or its views, or contents, nor does it vouch for the accuracy or accessibility of the information contained on the destination server. According to prevent blindness america, 90 percent of all eye injuries are preventable simply by wearing the proper eye protection. Prevent blindness has declared that march is workplace eye wellness month. The occupational safety and health administration oshas standard 29 cfr 1910. Jobrelated eye injuries can range from scrapes, burns, or worse. Rinse with clean water for at least 15 to 20 minutes. If you are working in an area that has particles, flying objects, or dust, you must at least wear safety glasses with side protection side shields. Workplace eye safety why is eye safety at work important. The sources are as varied as job descriptionsdust, chemical vapors, liquid chemicals, molten metals, and intense light are examples. Eye safety ataglance has a list of recommended eyewear for various occupations, a comparison of safety lens materials and dos and donts of emergency eye care at work. General information on eye safety manchester university nhs. Unfortunately, the industrial setting isnt the only place you can compromise your vision.
Annually there is an average of approximately 70,000 industrial eye injuries. Eye safety ataglance protecting your vision at work page 6 225 reinekers lane, suite 700 alexandria, va 22314 p. Workplace injury is a leading cause of eye trauma, vision loss, disability, and blindness, and can interfere with. Some jobs may require the use of safety eyewear, goggles, or specialuse safety glasses. Preventing work related eye injuries each day, about 2,000 u. The majority of these injuries result from small particles or objects striking or abrading the eye. Examples include metal slivers, wood chips, dust, and. Prevention of eye damage 3 the eye is a soft globular structure placed in the orbit of the skull. The conjuctiva is a membrane that lines the inside of the eyelids and extends over the front of the eyeball except the cornea. Eye protection and safety in 2004 there were 38,680 industrial eye injuries resulting in lost time away from work.
Laboratory eyewear the main types of laboratory eye and face protection are. These injuries range from simple eye strain to severe trauma that can cause permanent damage, vision loss and blindness. Department of health and human services dhhs, national institute for occupational safety and health niosh publication no. Eye safety precautions for the prevention of eye injuries. Use the guidance questions on the left to promote discussion of the eye safety issues at your work site. If a worker suffers an eye injury, fast action is essential.
Wearing the eye protection that your job or location requires is a simple way to keep your eyes safe. Thousands of eye injuries occur to people at work each day. The limited information on the right is designed to provide the background information needed in each section of the toolbox talk. Statistics indicate that most eye injuries can be prevented by using adequate shields and glasses. Workplace eye safety is important to your health, as well as your success in your career. Identify eye injury hazards, prevention measures, and irstaid treatment methods so that employees understand how to avoid and respond to eye injuries at work. The outer parts of the eye include the eyelids, the conjuctiva, the tear glands and tear sac. If dust, small particles, or chemicals get in your eye, use the eye wash station. Eye safety in the workplace nicola eye care optometrist. Keep your safety eyewear in good condition and have it replaced if it becomes damaged.
The safety policy will be carried out according to guidelines established and published in this. The management of health and safety at work regulations 1999. A swift response is often the only thing that prevents permanent damage. It is reported that three out of every five workers. Instructor questions and discussion highlights guidance.
The occupational safety and health administration osha indicates two main reasons for eye injury at work. The occupational safety and health administration osha provides regulations, which employers and employees must follow. According to prevent blindness america, 1,000 eye injuries occur. Today, we want to look at different ways eye injuries occur on the job. You should include those questions marked with and a selection of the remaining questions that apply to your work site. Wear the correct eye protection for the hazard present. Safety goggles are a must in factories, and computer glasses or lenses that reduce your blue light exposure can help you at your desk. The limited information on the right is designed to provide the background. Not wearing eye protection or not wearing the appropriate eye protection.
Eye safety in your workplace creating and maintaining a safe working environment is the responsibility of employers and employees. In fact, many eye injuries occur when safety glasses are being used. Walk through the workplace and look for potential hazards. The occupational safety and health administration osha and the 25 states and territories operating their own job safety and health programs are determined to help reduce eye injuries. Accidents and injuries to the eyes at work include chemical and grease splashes, steam burns, ultraviolet radiation. To improve eye safety at work, you must first identify any hazards. These may take the form of separate lenses in a metal or plastic frame, similar in appearance to prescription glasses, or have a single lensframe moulding, sometimes called eye. Eliminate hazards before starting work use guarding, screens, or other. As more people use computers in the workplace and home, complaints of eye fatigue, difficulty focusing and discomfort have become commonplace. About 1 in 10 injuries require one or more missed workdays to recover from.
Eye protection reprinted with permission from the national safety council a company might issue you tools, safety equipment, and some kind of protective clothing, but there is one thing that. Eye protection safety training powerpoint presentations. This safety video is also available as a multimedia elearning cours. It doesnt matter if you work in an industrial setting or an office setting good vision, healthy eyes and proper eye safety are important. Eye protection at work could eliminate 90% of eye injuries. Flying or falling objects account for the lions share of eye injuries in the workplace. The personal and economic toll of eye injuries at work is alarming. Eye safety ataglance protecting your childs vision in sports sportsrelated eye injuries are quite common, yet the number of children who use protective eyewear safety glasses or goggles is extremely low. Today well talk about a growing problem around the world as technology enters our lives at work and at home. Eye injury prevention at work how to develop a basic. The organization offers a number of tips for preventing workplace eyestrain and fatigue in office environments. Workplace eye injury statistics dont be one of them. Eye safety ataglance protecting your vision at work. Safety glasses will be worn as the minimumrequired eye protection at all times.
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