L ET’ S TA LK S A FE TY This column addresses safety issues of interest to water and wastewater personnel, and will appear monthly in the magazine. The Journal is also interested in receiving any articles on the subject of safety that it can share with readers in the “Spotlight on Safety” column.
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Eyes on Safety
early 500,000 eye injuries occur in the workplace every year in the United States. Experts say that 90 percent of those injuries could have been avoided if workers were more safety conscious and if they used the proper eye protection. Breaking down these injuries, it adds up to more than 2,000 work-related eye injuries each day! Most injuries occurred while the workers were performing their regular jobs. Of those injuries, between 10 and 20 percent are disabling. This means the damage to one or both eyes was serious enough to result in temporary or even permanent loss of sight. Besides serious eye injuries, some workers may also be at risk of developing diseases from eye exposure. Some infectious diseases can be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the eye. Direct exposure to blood splashes, respiratory droplets from coughing, or from touching the eyes with contaminated fingers or other objects are often culprits. The good news is that safety experts and eye doctors believe that eye protection can lessen the severity of eye injuries, and in some cases, even prevent them. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that the majority of employees who injure their eyes either were not wearing any eye protection at the time of their accidents or were not wearing the right kind of protective eyewear for the particular job.
Workplace Injuries The top causes of eye injuries in the workplace are: S F lying objects (bits of metal and glass)
S S S S S
ools T Dust and small particles Chemicals and thermal burns Harmful radiation A combination of these or other hazards
Protective Eyewear Basics Follow these basic safety tips to help prevent eye injuries: S Always wear the proper eye-safety gear. There are several types from which to choose, depending on the task you are performing: • Glasses • Goggles • Face shields • Welding helmets S Follow all operating procedures correctly. S Know where the first aid and eye cleaning stations are located and how to use them properly. S Always wear safety gloves and wash your hands after touching chemicals to prevent accidentally rubbing harmful substances into your eyes. S Do not assume that wearing regular eyeglasses will protect your eyes. Regular eyeglasses are not designed for protection, and often they won’t. Don’t chance it. S Make sure all protective eyewear fits properly and is not damaged. If it has been damaged, throw it away immediately. Protective eyewear should be made of polycarbonate plastic. If you are working with liquids, your goggles should be splash-proof. Never rely on eyewear that is not designed for safety, such as reading glasses or sunglasses. So why don’t workers use protective eyewear when there’s so much at risk? Researchers at Liberty Mutual Insurance found that the top issues cited are: S Discomfort or poor fit S Lack of availability S Wrong style S Inconvenience S Interference with eyeglasses S Cost
S Inappropriateness for the task In addition, they’ve learned that workers tend to skip eye protection if they don’t perceive the task to be high-risk, if it will only take a short time to complete, or if the employer doesn’t provide the right eyewear along with consistent encouragement, training, and enforcement that stresses a safety culture in the workplace. Don’t make excuses, and don’t be one of the workers who thought it would never happen to them. A workplace eye injury can threaten your vision, your employment, or both.
Do You Work a Desk Job? You’re likely sitting in front of a computer most days and have begun to realize that blue light is a real thing. Digital eye strain emitted from screens is the culprit. Thankfully, there are several potential solutions. S Computer glasses with special lenses or lens coatings can help filter blue light emitted from screens. Talk to your eye doctor about these lenses if you spend two or more hours a day in front of a screen or under an LED light. S Limit screen time before bed. Ideally, put away your devices a couple of hours before you retire for the night. By following a few safety precautions, you can greatly reduce your risk of eye injury. It takes only a few moments to think “eye safety” and put on safety goggles. A few seconds of eye protection could save you a lifetime of problems. For additional information go to the Prevent Blindness website at www. S preventblindness.org.
The 2020 Let’s Talk Safety is available from AWWA; visit www.awwa.org or call 800.926.7337. Get 40 percent off the list price or 10 percent off the member price by using promo code SAFETY20. The code is good for the 2020 Let’s Talk Safety book, dual disc set, and book + CD set.
38 December 2021 • Florida Water Resources Journal
