Depending on the type of industry you work in, you might be subject to lots of debris, smoke, sand and other fine particles. Having suitable eye protection will help to avoid any eye-related injuries that could occur. Here are some reasons why wearing eye protection in the workplace is so important.
Why eye Protection is key
Your eyes are one of your most valuable assets. They help you to visualise the task at hand, spot any mistakes and to complete tasks more efficiently. If you were to cause damage to your eyes, this could change your life forever and potentially put you out of work or lead to an unwanted change in career path.
Having suitable eye protection will help to keep your eyes safe from any debris, flying particles and unwanted dirt from getting in them.
When should Eye Protection be Worn?
Eye protection should be worn when dealing with heavy machinery that can cause sparks or small fragments to be displaced, such as when dealing with an angle grinder or belt sander.
Eye protection can also help to dull down bright lights that can be caused by sparks when using things like soldering and welding machinery. For this, it’s recommended that these workers wear specially designed welding goggles.
When on building sites, in workshops or production warehouses, protective eyewear should be worn by all staff and visitors to ensure maximum safety is adhered to.
You should also be wearing protective eye coverings when you’re dealing with chemicals.
Severity of Injuries
If you don’t adhere to wearing eye protection, you could be exposing yourself to a number of potential injuries.
Depending on the level of exposure and how dangerous the injury is, you could be subject to scratches on your eye that can be very uncomfortable and impair vision as well as cause discolouration to the eye. In worse cases, you might become blind or partially lose your sight permanently.
This could result in having to take time out from work, or even worse, having to quit your job all together due to being unfit to do so.
What Industries should eye Protection be Worn?
Protective eyewear should be worn in the following industries:
- Construction as your eyes are exposed to a lot of dust, dirt, gravel, flying sparks and other debris.
- Automotive and repairs as small metal pieces are likely to fall off and could potentially strike your eyes, especially if you are welding things together.
- Healthcare workers should wear eye protection to not only protect themselves, but their patients too. Especially surgeons who will be dealing with open wounds.
- Manufacturing is another industry that involves lots of tiny fragments being displaced and could cause eye injuries.
- Office workers are subject to a different kind of damage to their eyes – the blue light from screens can cause our eyes to become tired and impair our vision over time. That’s why it’s recommended that office workers wear tinted glasses and take regular breaks away from the screen.
