Eye Protection in Construction A presentation by Brian Spellicy

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Eye Protection in Construction A presentation by
Brian Spellicy
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A word about the human eye

• In the human eye, light enters the pupil and is
  focused on the retina by the lens.
  Light-sensitive nerve cells called rods (for
  brightness) and cones (for color) react to the
  light. They interact with each other and send
  messages to the brain that indicate brightness,
  color, and contour.

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A word about the human eye

• Two Main Parts
• Posterior Segment The back 2/3 of the eye,
  containing the retina and optic nerve.
• Anterior Segment The front 1/3 of the eye,
  containing the cornea, lens, and iris.

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Eye Injury Categories

• Accidents involving common household products
  cause 125,000 eye injuries each year in the U.S.
• More than 40,000 people a year suffer eye
  injuries while playing sports.
• Each day about 2000 U.S. workers have a
  job-related eye injury that requires medical
  treatment.

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Occupational Injury Statistics

• About one third of the injuries are treated in
  hospital emergency departments and more than 100
  of these injuries result in one or more days of
  lost work.

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Occupational Injury Statistics

• The majority of these injuries result from small
  particles or objects striking or abrading the
  eye. Examples include metal slivers, wood chips,
  dust, and cement chips that are ejected by tools,
  wind blown, or fall from above a worker.

Metal Filings
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Injury Types

• Material Penetration-Possibility of Blindness
• Strike Trauma-Causes damage to the eye and eye
  socket
• Chemical Burns-Splashing chemicals
• Thermal Burns
• UV Radiation Burns-Welders and their assistants
  (Welders Flash)

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Welders Flash

• AKA Arc eye, arc flash, or flash burns
• A painful ocular condition sometimes experienced
  by welders who have failed to use adequate eye
  protection
• Symptoms tend to occur a number of hours after
  exposure and typically resolve spontaneously
  within 36 hours
• The sensation has been described as having sand
  poured into the eyes

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Types of Eye Protection

• Safety Glasses-protect against flying debris
• Safety Goggles-protect against particulates and
  chemicals from striking the eye
• Welding Goggles/Masks-protects against high
  levels of visible and ultraviolet light

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Safety Glasses

• Basic Safety Glasses
• Wrap around style (tinted options)
• Side Shield Model

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Safety Goggles

• Basic Safety Goggles
• Goggles with Strap and Air Vents
• Light Amplifying Model (low light conditions)

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Welding Protection

• Basic Welding Helmet
• Variable Lens Helmet (lens automatically darkens
  when it senses light)
• Welding Goggles

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Any Questions?