SIGHT CONSERVATION PROGRAM

REFERENCES 29 CFR

SIGHT CONSERVATION n STUDIES INDICATE APPROXIMATELY 60% OF ALL PERSONNEL WHO SUFFERED AN EYE INJURY WERE NOT WEARING EYE PROTECTION EQUIPMENT n WHEN ASKED WHY, PERSONNEL INDICATED THAT PROTECTION WAS NOT NORMALLY USED OR PRACTICED IN THEIR TYPE OF WORK, OR IT WAS NOT REQUIRED FOR THE TYPE OF WORK PERFORMED AT THE TIME OF THE MISHAP

EYE’S DEFENSES n TEARS SELF-CLEAN THE EYES FROM FOREIGN MATERIALS n EYE LID BECOMES BARRIER TO PARTICLES NOT AGAINST SHARP OBJECTS

n FOREIGN BODIES - FLYING OBJECTS METAL, WOOD OR PLASTIC DEBRIS - PARTICLES DUST, SMOKE, FUMES OR FIBROUS MATERIAL - CHEMICALS ACIDS, ALKALIES, VAPORS, MISTS, COMMON CLEANING MATERIALS - RADIANT ENERGY INFRARED LIGHT, ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT, LASER TYPES OF EYE INJURIES

PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE n IDENTIFY EYE HAZARDOUS AREAS VIA THE INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE SURVEY n ELIMINATE EYE HAZARDS n PROVIDE EYE PROTECTION TO PERSONNEL n VISION SCREENING n MAINTENANCE OF EYE PROTECTION n TRAINING n RESPONSIBILITIES

AREAS DEFINED AS EYE HAZARDOUS n METAL SHOPS INCLUDING CUTTING, GRINDING, WELDING OPERATIONS n MAINTENANCE SHOPS TO INCLUDE MOTOR T ORDNANCE, COMMUNICATION, AVIATION n PNEUMATIC TEST SHOPS n WOODWORKING SHOPS n CORROSION CONTROL SHOPS INCLUDING SANDING, CHEMICAL USE AND PAINTING n LASER OPERATIONS n HAZMAT/WASTE HANDLING AND/OR USE

ELIMINATING EYE HAZARDS n ENGINEERING CONTROLS n SUBSTITUTING NON-HAZARDOUS MATERIALS n RESTRICT PASSAGE THROUGH EYE HAZARDOUS AREAS n POST CAUTION SIGNS IN DESIGNATED AREAS - EYE HAZARD DECK MARKING TAPE STRIPED YELLOW AND BLACK TAPE 9Q/

POLICY FOR SIGHT CONSERVATION PERSONNEL EXPOSED TO EYE HAZARDOUS AREAS SHALL BE PROVIDED WITH ADEQUATE PROTECTION AT GOVERNMENT EXPENSE

MINIMUM PROTECTION n AT A MINIMUM, SIGHT PROTECTIVE DEVICES SHALL BE: - COMPLY WITH ANSI Z ADEQUATE EYE PROTECTION AGAINST THE PARTICULAR HAZARD - DURABLE - EASY TO CLEAN - CAPABLE OF BEING DISINFECTED - EASILY REPAIRED

EMERGENCY EYE WASH n MEETS ANSI Z n MOST PARTICULATE AND CHEMICAL EYE INJURIES CAN BE DILUTED WITH CONTINUOUS FRESH WATER FOR 15 MINUTES n PLUMBED EYE WASHES - INSPECT AND FLUSH WEEKLY FOR 3 MINUTES - DOCUMENT FLUSHING OF SYSTEM n PORTABLE EYE WASHES - CONTINUOUS FLOW OF 0.4 g/min FOR 15 MINUTES - INSPECT AND FLUSH PER MANUFACTURER’S SPECIFICATIONS - DOCUMENT FLUSHING OF SYSTEM n POST “EMERGENCY EYE WASH” SIGNS

SCREENING EXAMINATIONS n ALL PERSONNEL WHO WORK IN EYE HAZARDOUS AREAS DESIGNATED BY THE IH SURVEY SHALL BE PROVIDED VISUAL SCREENING EXAMS INITIALLY AND ANNUALLY THERE-AFTER

MAINTENANCE OF EYE PROTECTION n INSPECTION n REPAIR DAMAGE n CLEANING/ DISINFECTION n PROPER STORAGE n ENFORCEMENT

n PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR SHALL BE PROVIDED: - TO VISITORS (CIVILIAN & MILITARY) AND CONTRACT PERSONNEL - WHILE AWAITING DELIVERY OF CORRECTIVE PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR TEMPORARY PROTECTIVE EYEWEAR

CONTACT LENSES n ALL PERSONNEL WHO UTILIZE CAUSTICS, ACIDS/ALKIES, TOXIC MATERIALS AND OR INVOLVED WITH PROCESSES THAT CREATE DUST SHALL NOT WEAR CONTACT LENSES

TRAINING n SHALL INCLUDE - NEED FOR EYE PROTECTION - MAINTENANCE OF EQUIPMENT - LIMITATIONS - OPERATIONS/LOCATIONS WHICH REQUIRE PROTECTION - PROPER FITTING OF EQUIPMENT - EYEWASH LOCATIONS - RESPONSIBILITIES - FIRST AID PROCEDURES

BASIC FIRST AID n NO ATTEMPT SHOULD BE MADE TO REMOVE A PARTICLE LODGED IN THE EYEBALL n DO NOT WASH AN EYE THAT HAS BEEN CUT, SCRATCHED OR SCRAPED n BANDAGE BOTH EYES n FOR CHEMICAL SPLASH IMMEDIATELY FLUSH EYES WITH POTABLE WATER FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES

RESPONSIBILITIES n THE COLLATERAL DUTY SAFETY REPRESENTATIVE SHALL: - DETERMINE EYE HAZARDOUS AREAS, OCCUPATIONS, AND PROCESSES VIA THE IH SURVEY WHICH REQUIRE EYE PROTECTION - REVIEW SIGHT CONSERVATION PROGRAM ANNUALLY - ASSISTANCE SHALL BE PROVIDED BY BASE SAFETY AND THE INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE DEPARTMENT - ENFORCEMENT OF SIGHT CONSERVATION PROGRAM

CONCLUSION n IDENTIFY ALL EYE HAZARDOUS PROCESSES/AREAS VIA IH n ELIMINATE EYE HAZARDS n PROVIDE PERSONAL WITH EYE PROTECTION n COMPLETE EYE EXAMINATIONS n MAINTENANCE OF EYE PROTECTION n TRAINING n RESPONSIBILITIES