With over 700,000 people in the U.S. suffering an eye injury every year due to job-related accidents, are you taking proper measures to protect your vision while on the clock? According to PreventBlindness.org, 90% of these workplace eye accidents are preventable if the proper equipment is used.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health says injuries to the eye can occur in a variety of ways. Examples include loose particles such as wood, metal or cement chips flying into the eyes, blunt force trauma to the eye or eye socket caused by heavy objects striking the face, chemical burns when working with industrial chemicals or cleaning solutions, and thermal and UV radiation burns (also known as welder's flash).
Aside from these injuries, those who work with human or animal waste or waste byproducts could possibly expose themselves to infectious diseases through their ocular cavities. The mucous membranes of the eye can transmit these diseases after exposure through eye-rubbing with contaminated hands or direct contact between the substance and the eye. The consequences of these infections range from minor damage to death.
Taking initiative when it comes to your safety could save your vision, and your life. One of the first steps you can take is to carefully assess your work area. Know where all safety equipment is kept and thoroughly study company safety protocol. If you don't mind a little further studying, try reading up on injury reports to see if you can catch common worker errors, so you can avoid the same mistakes.
