5 Tips for Workplace Safety

Your vision is critical to protect when on the job. But every day, about 2,000 eye-related injuries happen to workers, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These injuries cause workers to miss days on the job and can even cause permanent damage if severe enough. It is in every business’s best interest to make eye safety a priority to avoid any counterproductive or costly incidents from happening. Here are five tips to improve your workplace eye safety:

1. Wear Proper Protection

Every worker needs to wear proper eye protection, depending on the job at hand. For example, if you work in conditions where there is dust or flying particles, safety eyewear is necessary. There are many variations of the eyewear, though. Some come with protective side shields. Others, such as goggles, which provide tight protection over the eyes to ensure nothing makes contact with your eyes and are recommended in environments where chemicals or diseases are present. In other cases, workers might need a face shield or other large protective measures.

2. Eliminate Hazards

When a workplace prioritizes safety, it will encourage workers to be more careful themselves. Installing transparent shields around tools or in higher risk areas are safety measures that can ensure workers don’t have to rely on safety eyewear alone. Also, making a point to educate workers on the dangers specific to your workplace and developing protocols on where and when workers need to wear safety eyewear is an easy way to keep them safe.

3. Keep Your Lenses Clean

When workers can’t see, their eyes are not the only thing at risk. Protective eyewear needs to be able to stand against scratches, smudges, glares, and everything in between. SafeVision offers a wide variety of eyewear proven to keep workers safe no matter the job. Be sure to consult our specialists to create a plan that works for your specific work environment.

4. Have a First Aid Kit Readily Available

Despite the precautions taken, an accident can still happen. Be prepared to manage the situation with a comprehensive first aid kit on-site to address any work-related injuries and particularly any eye-related injuries. You will need to have eyewash and eye drops readily available. For minor irritation caused by dust or grit, rinse the eyes out. For more serious eye injuries, such as exposure to acids and chemicals, the use of an emergency eyewash station is necessary.

6. Replace Damaged Eyewear

When workers wear the proper eyewear daily, the odds that they will become worn, damaged, cracked, or scratched is inevitable. It is essential to address these issues before they reduce visibility or reduce protection. To keep your eyewear in good condition, be sure to clean them regularly and keep them in a safe place away from harm.

No matter the workplace or situation, eye protection should always be taken seriously, especially if it poses a risk to your employee’s occupational safety. SafeVision has plenty of options to keep your workers safe and make their eye protection one less hazard they have to deal with on a daily basis.