Who Wears Safety Glasses?
The eyes are a very sensitive organ, which we often take for granted. Prevent Blindness America reports that more than 850,000 Americans injure their eyes every year while at work, playing sports or participating in activities around the house. Most of these accidents could have been prevented or, at least, have had a diminished effect if the person had taken precautions and worn safety glasses. Although regulations for wearing safety glasses must be followed in work situations, many people do not wear necessary eye protection when enjoying themselves with crafts or hobbies in their home. Flying debris such as metal, glass or dust; chemicals such as acids; tools; and radiation from welding equipment can all cause serious and permanent eye damage in all environments.
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Work-Related Accidents
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Prevent Blindness America reports that more than 2,000 workers harm their eyes daily, with up to 20 percent of these accidents causing vision loss that is temporary or permanent. The form of safety glasses or goggles you need to wear at work depends on the specific hazards. Safety glasses with side shields are a must in cases of flying debris, such as dust. When working with chemicals, you need goggles. For dangerous radiation, such as fiber optics or lasers, you must purchase safety glasses, face shields, goggles and/or helmets that are specifically developed for that work.
If you have questions regarding what type of safety glasses are required for your particular work, read the standards designated by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Safety glasses must meet the American National Standards Institute requirement.
Employers' OSHA Responsibility
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Employers must provide protective eyewear for their employees that meet OSHA standards. In many cases, safety glasses are required for primary protection. These safety spectacles are made in a variety of sizes and styles to comfortably fit and protect workers. The safety eyewear must not cause reduced depth perception or blurriness resulting in eye fatigue, headaches or nausea. Also, the lenses must be resistant to scratches and fogging and be lightweight; if necessary, they must protect against ultraviolet rays or infrared light. Safety equipment must be comfortable and protective for employees with corrective glasses or contacts.
OSHA reports that more than 40 percent of accidents occur with craft workers, including plumbers, carpenters and mechanics. About a third of eye injuries happen to operatives, such as sanders and assemblers. Nearly 50 percent are in manufacturing and 20 percent in construction.
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Home Crafts
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Protective eyewear with impact-resistant lenses and side panels must be worn with crafts and projects in the house, garage and yard, if there is any chance of injuries from flying debris or chemical splashes. Goggles offer even better protection, because they fit tightly around the eyes. Face shields protect both the eyes and whole face from injuries coming from the front of the person but not the sides. They can be worn with goggles to provide maximum protection. This eyewear can be obtained from a hardware or store that sells safety equipment. It is necessary to ensure that the eyewear meets required standards. Standard safety glasses are marked "Z87."
Protective eyewear should be worn when hammering, working with chemicals, sawing lumber, lying under a car, power sanding or grinding and scraping off paint.
Welding and Photography
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Many people enjoy welding as a hobby or art or to repair fencing, tools, gates and a variety of household items. Eye safety begins with learning about the proper eye and face protection, which includes safety glasses, "flash goggles" and a helmet especially made for welding. Photography is another interest that may require safety glasses with side shields or goggles for protection against chemical splashes. Many different types of chemicals are used in photo development. Some of these contain very hazardous materials, such as silver, which can be very corrosive.
Woodworking and Glasswork
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Before doing any type of woodworking, it is necessary to put on safety glasses. Regular glasses cannot be used for protection. Their lenses and frames are not made to resist flying objects, and they do not have side shields. They also need UV protection if the woodworking is being done out of doors. Another possibly dangerous hobby is firing, melting or blowing glass. It is necessary to use reflective heat shields and eyewear that is especially made to protect against flares. Sodium flares are bright mixtures of yellow and orange, which appears in the glass flame. There are a variety of safety glass lenses for different types of glasswork.
Yard Work
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Unfortunately, most people do not wear protective eyewear when doing typical lawn work, such as mowing or leaf blowing. They also do not use eyewear when using power tools. Every year, many injuries occur when flying dust, debris or even larger objects hit the eye. Wearing safety glasses could protect against most of these dangers.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit http://web.princeton.edu/sites/ehs/labsafetymanual/sec6c.htm
