March Is Workplace Eye Safety Month. Prevent Blindness Organization has declared March as Workplace Eye Wellness Month to provide employers and employees with free information on the best ways to keep vision healthy on the job.
According to the CDC, every single day, about 2,000 U.S. workers sustain a job-related eye injury that requires medical treatment. More than 2,000 eye injuries; and about one in 10 of them require missed workdays to recover. Of the total amount of work-related eye injuries, 10 to 20 percent will cause temporary or permanent vision loss in the affected employees. And, while many people think that eye injuries primarily occur in manufacturing, construction, or trade jobs, nearly 40 percent of work-related eye injuries occur in offices, healthcare facilities, laboratories, and similar environments.
Flying objects, tools, particles, chemicals, and harmful radiation, are the causes of most eye injuries. And in many cases, implementing safe work practices and utilizing appropriate personal protective equipment could prevent them entirely.
March is Workplace Eye Safety Awareness Month and that is why we are taking this opportunity to remind you of a few tips to help protect your eyes while on the job. Here are 5 tips to follow:
- Keep your annual eye exam with your doctor. If you have an eye doctor yet, schedule an appointment with us by calling 407-292-9812..
- Always wear the appropriate safety eyewear for your job site or role, even if you are just passing through a hazardous area.
- If working in an area with particles or dust, be sure to wear safety glasses with side shields to protect against flying objects.
- When working with chemicals, always wear safety goggles or face shields to protect against splashing.
- When working around hazardous radiation like welding, lasers, or fiber optics, be sure to use special-purpose safety goggles and helmets designed specifically for the task.
Always, follow your doctor’s advice and adhere to your work site procedures designed to keep you safe. The above tips are for both your job site and while working at home.
Remember – something as simple as putting on a pair of safety glasses can prevent serious eye injuries. These injuries are painful, cause many lost workdays, and sometimes lead to permanent vision loss. So during the month of March, and year-round, remember to wear your safety glasses!
Our top priority is your lifelong healthy vision. For any question about your eyes, please call us at 407-292-9812!
Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
References: https://ehs.oregonstate.edu/march-eye-safety-month
