Eye Protection

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Session Objectives You will be able to: Identify potential eye hazards Prevent eye injuries with protective eyewear Use, maintain, and inspect proper protective eyewear Use appropriate first aid for emergencies

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Eye Injury Statistics Each day, more than 2,000 workers suffer eye injuries Annually, 62,000 eye injuries result in lost workdays Eye protection can reduce the number and severity of eye injuries in 90% of accidents

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Eye Hazards Flying objects Harmful dust particles Chemical splashing or spraying High-intensity heat or light Welding, brazing, torch cutting Direct or reflected sunlight

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Flying Object Hazards and Protection Hazard—flying objects cause lens damage Fragments, chips, particles, sand, dirt Work processes Chipping, grinding, masonry work Eye protection Glasses with side protection, goggles, or face shield for severe exposure

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Dust Hazards and Protection Hazard—walking into floating particles causes irritation, redness, and abrasion Wood dust, foam dust, soot Work process Woodworking, buffing, cleaning Eye protection Goggles for tight seal around the eyes

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Chemical Hazards and Protection Hazard—splash, spray, or mist causes burning, pain, or blurriness Acids, caustics, solvents Work process Handling or processing a chemical Eye protection Goggles Face shield over goggles for severe exposure

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Heat Hazards and Protection Hazard Steam, hot liquid, hot air, or flame cause pain, eyelid burns, and blurred vision Work process Furnace operations, pouring or casting molten metals Any high-temperature operations Wear eye protection such as a screen or reflective face shield

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Welding Hazards and Protection Hazard—Welder’s flash or flying sparks cause pain, extreme sensitivity, and burns Work process Walking unprotected near welding operation Eye protection Welder’s face shield Sunglasses inadequate

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Sunlight Hazards and Protection Hazard—direct or reflected sunlight Retinal burn, blurred vision, pain Work process Working outside on any job, working near water Eye protection Sunglasses and hat

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Eye Hazards and Protection—Questions? Any questions about potential workplace hazards to the eyes? Questions about eye protection for specific work processes?

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Use Proper Protective Eyewear 90% of occupational eye injuries could have been avoided with proper protective eyewear Many injured workers believed protective eyewear was not necessary in their particular situation Follow company rules for eye protection

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Eyewear Standards Comply with ANSI Z87.1 Eye protection equipment will be marked “Z87” Sunglasses or prescription glasses usually do not meet the standard

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Choosing Eye Protection Fit the protection equipment to the person Ensure high-quality equipment is used Ensure good fit and comfort Lens options

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Maintain Eyewear Cleaning stations Holders or cases Issue new when necessary

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Routinely Inspect Eyewear Inspect before each use Check for and replace cracked lenses Replace scratched lens Check for loose frames and nose pieces Fit test before each use

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Prescription Eyewear Contact lenses may be worn with PPE if determined safe by a hazard evaluation Prescription safety glasses are available Overglasses or partial face shields serve as additional barriers

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Eyewash Stations Chemical splashes require immediate first aid 10 feet or 10 seconds from a work process with hazardous chemicals Flush eyes for 15 minutes

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Use of Eyewear— Any Questions? Any questions about the selection and use of eyewear? Any questions about maintenance and inspection of eyewear? Any questions about eye first aid?

© Business & Legal Reports, Inc Key Things to Remember Assess eye hazards Select appropriate protective eyewear Wear your eye protection Don’t become an eye injury statistic