4 Ways to Prevent Work-Related Eye Injuries

More than 2,000 people each day sustain a work-related eye injury. Of these, as much as 10% to 20% will result in either permanent or temporary vision loss and 1 in 10 will require one or more missed days from work. Eye injuries are costly to both individual affected and to the employer. The good news is that proper eye protection has been shown to prevent or lessen the severity of eye injuries in 90% of these cases. There are also other proactive measure that can be taken to reduce the risks and hazards associated with the eyes — try these four ways to reduce or eliminate the incidence of eye injuries at work:

1. Examine the work environment: Check the work area, equipment, pedestrian and machine traffic routes for any potential eye injury hazards. Additionally, examine any previous eye injury reports which will provide valuable information in determining potential dangers so they can be eliminated. 
2. Provide routine training: Include eye safety training as part of new employee orientation and highlight the need for protective eyewear and accident prevention. Eye safety must also be a part of ongoing training programs for workers setting a goal of ZERO eye injuries or accidents. Continue to review and update programs and policies. 
3. Wear proper eye protection: Experts believe that the right eye protection can lessen the severity or even prevent 90% of eye injuries in accidents. An assessment of the hazards particular to the workplace should be executed and the proper eyewear to address those hazards needs to be worn 
4. Prepare for an emergency: Training workers in basic first-aid for proper handling of eye injuries can greatly decrease the chances of vision loss associated with work-related eye injuries. Set up eyewash stations that are easily accessible and instruct all employees where they are located and what to do in the event of an emergency.