Take a Look at Eye Injuries

BLR TAKE A LOOK ATS EYE INJURIES Simplify Complance Drive Success Are you doing your part to keep your employees seeing straight on the job? In honor of Workplace Eye Wellness Month, check out the following statistics and tips on eye safety. 20,300 In 2012, there were eye injuries requiring days away from work in U.S. private sector employers. According to OSHA, eye injuries cost businesses $300 million/year in lost production time, medical expenses, and workers' compensation. $$$ | 19% of 2012 eye injuries affected men. Top 5 industries for eye injuries, 2012* Most hazardous occupations for eye injuries*: 1. Farming, fishing, and forestry 2. Construction and extraction 3. Installation, maintenance, and repair 4. Production 5. Transportation and material moving Manufacturing Construction Retail trade *Based on incidence rate of eye injuries per 10,000 full-time workers Health care and social assistance Administrative, support, and waste management/remediation services *Based on number of eye injuries involving days away from work in 2012 What causes eye injuries? 64% Contact with objects or equipment 31% Exposure to harmful substances or environments 5% All other caUses Common eye hazards Flying objects O Harmful dust particles O Chemical splashing or spraying High-intensity heat or light Welding, brazing, and torch cutting Direct or reflected sunlight Harmful radiation All eyes on prevention! 3 out of 5 workers were not wearing eye profection when an injury occurred, or were wearing the wrong type of eye protection for the job. Proper eye protection could prevent or reduce the severity of 90%0 of eye injuries. The most common types of eye protection are SAFETY GLASSES, GOGGLES, and FACE SHIELDS. Make sure you conduct a hazard assessment to determine the eye hazards your workers are exposed to and select appropriate forms of profection. Download an eye protection checklist, free for a limited time: http://ow.ly/UBELA What OSHA requires The following are three of OSHA's most important rules for eye safety in the workplace: Employers must ensure that workers wear proper eye or face protection when they are exposed to eye hazards caused by: Flying particles Molten metal Liquid chemicals Acids or caustic liquids Chemical gases or vapors Potentially infected material Harmful light radiation Where workers' eyes may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, employers must provide suitable facilities for quick drenching and flushing of the eyes (e.g., an eyewash station) within the work area for immediate emergency use. (29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1)) (29 CFR 1910.151(c)) Eye and face protection must satisfy the requirements of ANSI Z87.1-2003, ANSI Z87.1-1989(R-1998), or ANSI Z87.1989 unless the employer can demonstrate that the protection is at least as effective as those constructed according to ANSI standards. (29 CFR 1910.133(b)) For more detail on OSHA's eye and face protection regulations, refer to 29 CFR 1910.133. Don't forget about office workers! They may not be exposed to toxic chemicals or flying sparks, but office workers can experience eyestrain from inadequate lighting, computer screen glare, and more. A new study from the Vision Council found that 70% of American adults experience eyestrain from the use of electronic devices. Want more information? Follow the link for 10 eye safety tips: http://ow.ly/uDWdj Sources: www.osha.gov www.bls.gov http://Safety.BLR.com www.preventblindness.org Follow us on Twitter: @BLR EHS @SafetyDailyAdv BLR Disclaimer: The information provided here does not represent legal or any other type of professional advice and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice from a qualified attorney licensed in your state. Copyright © 2014 BLR®-Business and Legal Resources. All rights reserved.