The Importance of Eye Protection
Helping businesses to ensure safety in
the workplace is our top priority and eye protection is a crucial factor. It’s
very easy for a worker to sustain an eye injury, so we’ve put together the key
information that you need to know when it comes to choosing eye protection such as safety goggles, face shields and other equipment for protecting vision.
What are the common types of eye injury at work?
Depending on the industry you work in,
there are many forms of eye injury that can occur in the workplace. Below are
the most common, which demonstrates why suitable eye protection is so
important.
· Flying
debris: Pieces of metal, plastic, glass and
other solids that are caused to fly through the air pose a significant health
and safety risk.
· Flash burns: Welding
exposes the eyes to flash burns from the welding arc and the intense UV light
can seriously damage the surface of the eye.
· Particles: All manner
of particles and foreign bodies can arise in an industrial setting, ranging
from dust and woodchip to metal shavings and larger fragments that are smaller
than debris but still extremely hazardous.
· Chemical
splashes: If the eye comes into contact with
chemicals a worker can suffer from burns, sight damage and even blindness.
· Sudden eye
trauma: This is caused by a direct blow to the
eye area, which can damage bone structure as well as the physical eye itself
and its sight capabilities.
Types of eye protection
There are multiple options to choose
from when it comes to eye protection and each one works differently from the
others. Here are the key types and how they work:
·
Safety glasses with unvented side
shields: A basic form of eye protection that
works well for simple jobs. Protects the eyes at the front but not the sides,
which means that chemical splashes can still cause injury.
·
Safety glasses with vented side shields: These offer more protection at the sides of the eye, such as
blocking flying debris, although the vents can still allow chemical splashes
and particles to enter the eye area.
·
Basic safety goggles: Goggles that cover the eyes but don’t seal completely against the
face, which like the above forms of eye protection can still allow chemical
splashes to enter the eyes.
·
Directly vented cover goggles: Offering much better eye protection, goggles that seal against
the skin of the face are a very popular choice for many workers. However, if the
employee is working with chemicals, the vents can still allow liquids to enter
the eye area.
·
Indirectly vented cover goggles: The best of the best when it comes to goggles and the right
choice for anyone working with chemicals and particles, as the goggles
completely cover the eye area and leave no room for anything to slip through.
·
Visors and face shields: This form of eye protection offers even greater levels of worker safety,
as a plastic shield covers the entire face. The result is comprehensive protection
of the eyes and skin from chemicals, molten metal splashes and hot solid
projections.
·
Full face respirator: Covering the entire face, this exceptional form of protection can
include particulate filters and air-purifying modes.
When should you wear safety goggles instead of glasses?
Whilst safety glasses offer a certain
level of eye protection, there are many instances when safety goggles should be
used instead. These include any task or environment where hazardous splashes,
airborne dust and particles, flying debris and similar hazards are possible. By
choosing safety goggles that effectively cover the eye area, you can ensure that your
workers, managers and visitors remain protected against eye injury.
Order your eye protection equipment today
We’re here to help you choose the right
kind of safety glasses, safety goggles, face shields and full face respirators to protect your staff against accident and injury.
To find out more, give our team of safety specialists a call on 01 8499 100 or
email sales@safetycare.ie.
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