Eye Protection

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Eye Protection
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Session Objectives

• You will be able to
• Identify potential eye hazards
• Prevent eye injuries with protective eyewear
• Use, maintain, and inspect proper protective
  eyewear
• Use appropriate first aid for emergencies

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Eye Injury Statistics

• Each day, more than 2,000 workers suffer eye
  injuries
• Annually, 62,000 eye injuries result in lost
  workdays
• Eye protection can reduce the number and severity
  of eye injuries in 90 of accidents

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Eye Hazards

• Flying objects
• Harmful dust particles
• Chemical splashing or spraying
• High-intensity heat or light
• Welding, brazing, torch cutting
• Direct or reflected sunlight

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Flying Object Hazards and Protection

• Hazardflying objects cause lens damage
• Fragments, chips, particles, sand, dirt
• Work processes
• Chipping, grinding, masonry work
• Eye protection
• Glasses with side protection, goggles, or face
  shield for severe exposure

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Dust Hazards and Protection

• Hazardwalking into floating particles causes
  irritation, redness, and abrasion
• Wood dust, foam dust, soot
• Work process
• Woodworking, buffing, cleaning
• Eye protection
• Goggles for tight seal around the eyes

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Chemical Hazards and Protection

• Hazardsplash, spray, or mist causes burning,
  pain, or blurriness
• Acids, caustics, solvents
• Work process
• Handling or processing a chemical
• Eye protection
• Goggles
• Face shield over goggles for severe exposure

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Heat Hazardsand Protection

• Hazard
• Steam, hot liquid, hot air, or flame cause pain,
  eyelid burns, and blurred vision
• Work process
• Furnace operations, pouring or casting molten
  metals
• Any high-temperature operations
• Wear eye protection such as a screen or
  reflective face shield

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Welding Hazards and Protection

• HazardWelders flash or flying sparks cause
  pain, extreme sensitivity, and burns
• Work process
• Walking unprotected near welding operation
• Eye protection
• Welders face shield
• Sunglasses inadequate

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Sunlight Hazards and Protection

• Hazarddirect or reflected sunlight
• Retinal burn, blurred vision, pain
• Work process
• Working outside on any job, working near water
• Eye protection
• Sunglasses and hat

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Eye Hazards and ProtectionQuestions?

• Any questions about potential workplace hazards
  to the eyes?
• Questions about eye protection for specific work
  processes?

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Use Proper Protective Eyewear

• 90 of occupational eye injuries could have been
  avoided with proper protective eyewear
• Many injured workers believed protective eyewear
  was not necessary in their particular situation
• Follow company rules for eye protection

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Eyewear Standards

• Comply with ANSI Z87.1
• Eye protection equipment will be marked Z87
• Sunglasses or prescription glasses usually do
  not meet the standard

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Choosing Eye Protection

• Fit the protection equipment to the person
• Ensure high-quality equipment is used
• Ensure good fit and comfort
• Lens options

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Maintain Eyewear

• Cleaning stations
• Holders or cases
• Issue new when necessary

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Routinely Inspect Eyewear

• Inspect before each use
• Check for and replace cracked lenses
• Replace scratched lens
• Check for loose frames and nose pieces
• Fit test before each use

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Prescription Eyewear

• Contact lenses may be worn with PPE if
  determined safe by a hazard evaluation
• Prescription safety glasses are available
• Overglasses or partial face shields serve as
  additional barriers

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Eyewash Stations

• Chemical splashes require immediate first aid
• 10 feet or 10 seconds from a work process with
  hazardous chemicals
• Flush eyes for 15 minutes

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Use of EyewearAny Questions?

• Any questions about the selection and use of
  eyewear?
• Any questions about maintenance and inspection of
  eyewear?
• Any questions about eye first aid?

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Key Things to Remember

• Assess eye hazards
• Select appropriate protective eyewear
• Wear your eye protection
• Dont become an eye injury statistic