Safety Glasses

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Safety Glasses
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Safety Glasses

• There are more eye injuries in construction than
  any other industry.
  
• Safety glasses or other approved eye protection
  are the easiest means of assuring a worker that
  they will not sustain an eye injury.

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Statistics on Safety Glasses

• In construction, there are more than 10,600 eye
  injuries each year that force workers to miss
  work.
  
• Eye injuries make up 11 of all injuries on a
  construction site.
  
• Of those injured, 20 say they were wearing their
  safety glasses while 80 say they were not.

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Statistics on Safety Glasses

• The average direct cost for an eye injury is
  3600 including compensation and medical costs.
  
• The average indirect cost for an eye injury is
  5700 (not including lawsuits).
  
• The average cost for a pair of safety glasses is
  10.

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OSHA Regulation 1926.102Eye and Face Protection

• General Employees shall be provided with proper
  eye and face protection equipment when hazardous
  conditions to the eyes exist.
  
• Employees whose vision requires the use of
  corrective lenses shall be fitted with
  appropriate safety glasses accordingly.
  

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OSHA Regulation 1926.102Eye and Face Protection

• Employees should also wear proper eye protection
  when working around radiant energy or laser
  beams.
  
• Radiant Protection Laser Protection
• - Varies by shade - Varies by wavelength

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Guidelines for Safety Glasses

• Confirm eye protection is approved ANSI Z87
• Always wear goggles
• - In an abundance of dusts, liquids, or gases
• - For overhead work
• Always wear a clear plastic face shield
• - When working with corrosive chemicals or metals
  that can splash
  
• - When grinding, chipping, or cleaning welds
• - When around flying particles

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Eye Injuries

• A 32-year-old construction worker who was
  splattered by a a lye compound when trying to
  clear a blocked pipe.
  
• He was rushed to the hospital with in 15 minutes
  of the accident.
  
• He was not wearing his
• safety glasses because
• they were scratched.

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Eye Injuries

• A 41-year-old man was struck by a metal fragment
  when grinding a piece of metal siding.
  
• He now only has 5 vision in his injured eye.
• He was not wearing his
• safety glasses because he
• lost them earlier in the day.

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Ways to Encourage Use

• Lanyards should be worn so workers are less
  likely to loose or scratch their safety glasses.
  
• Sweat Bands should be worn in warm climates so
  sweat does not roll off and distort the lenses.

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Ways to Encourage Use

• Employees should be offered a selection of
  different safety glasses to meet the various job
  environments they will be in and to suit their
  personal preferences.

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Ways to Encourage Use

• Consistently remind employees at safety meetings
  that eye protection is a requirement on virtually
  all construction sites. The use of safety
  glasses is ultimately their decision. They need
  to make the commitment to wear their glasses or
  be willing to pay the price.