March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month

Inform your employees about the importance of protecting their eyes…. because the gift of sight is irreplaceable.

Almost 2,000 people in the U.S. injure their eyes while working every day. Of all the eye-related injuries that occur every year, one-third of them are severe enough to send the injured to the emergency room.

This March, participate in Workplace Eye Wellness Month and encourage your workers to always protect their eyes.

Prevent Blindness, is the nationals leading volunteer eye health and safety organization. They’re dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight and declared March as Workplace Eye Wellness Month. They provide employers and employees with information on the dangers of blue light, digital devices, and vision and eye injury prevention.

The largest source of blue light is the sunlight; however, there is an underlying concern over the long-term effects of screen exposure. Eye injuries could occur in office settings with computer monitors, smartphones, tablets, and screens. More severe work environments include welding areas, hot work environments, mining, maritime, and construction.

Do your part and ensure your workers are aware of any eye hazards in the workplace with motivational safety posters! 

What are the most common eye injuries?

Whatever industry you work in, eye protection is a concern. Whether you spend hours in front of a computer or use power tools at your workplace, it’s always important to keep eye health and safety in mind.

Here is a list of the most common eye-related injuries:

  1. Eye Scraping: The most common eye-related injury is eye scraping. Eye scraping is when something hits or scratches the eye. These can be small objects or particles. Dust, wood or cement chips or metal slivers can all easily scrape the eye. As well, larger objects can come into contact with the face, causing trauma to the eye or the socket.
  2. Penetration: Penetration is when an object pierces the eye. This can cause blindness or loss of vision. Nails and staples are often the culprits, but slivers and other metal objects can also be to blame.
  3. Thermal and Chemical Burns: Cleaning products and industrial chemicals can cause major damage to the eye. Burns can cause permanent loss of vision and even damage the tissue surrounding the eye. Welders are often at the most risk for thermal burns because of the nature of their work.
  4. Protection: All employees must aware and reminded of the eye safety hazards that are present on the job site or in the workplace. That means using welding screens, work screens, machine guards, or any other method to prevent objects and materials from getting into the eyes of your workers. 

Whether you or your employees need to wear goggles, helmets, face shields, or safety glasses, simply wearing them will protect your eyes and often, even save your eyesight.

“All it takes is a tiny sliver of a metal particle of dust or splashes pf chemical to cause significantly permanent eye damage.” – The National Safety Council.

Be proactive and place eye PPE safety posters around your workplace to keep your employees motivated to make safer choices!