***********
At Work
Your eyes and good vision are two of your most important working tools! Protective eyewear can ensure eye safety. Eye injuries in the workplace are very common. It is estimated that there are 5 work related eye injuries daily in South Africa. Wearing the correct eye protection could have lessened the severity, or even prevented, most eye injuries in accidents.
The most common causes for eye injuries are:
- Flying objects (bits of metal, glass)
- Tools
- Particles
- Chemicals
- Harmful radiation
- Any combination of these or other hazards
- Non-prescription and prescription safety glasses give frontal protection against flying objects
- Goggles and face shields, worn alone or over prescription spectacles offer protection against flying particles, dust and liquid splashes
- Welding helmets, which have special filters for protection against welding rays, sparks and flying objects
There are three types of safety lenses that meet or exceed the requirements for protecting your eyes.
Glass lenses
- Are not easily scratched
- Can be used around harsh chemicals
- Can be made in your corrective prescription
- Are sometimes heavy and uncomfortable
- Are lighter weight
- Protect against welding splatter
- Are not likely to fog
- Are not as scratch-resistant as glass
- Are lightweight
- Protect against welding splatter
- Are not likely to fog
- Are stronger than glass and plastic
- Are more impact resistant than glass or plastic
- Are not as scratch resistant as glass
What type of safety eye protection should I wear?
The type of safety eye protection you should wear depends on the hazards in your workplace. If you are working in an area that has particles, flying objects, or dust, you must at least wear safety glasses with side protection (side shields). If you are working with chemicals, you should wear goggles. If you are working near hazardous radiation (welding, lasers, or fiber optics) you must use special-purpose safety glasses, goggles, face shields, or helmets designed for that task.
At Home
The average house is a minefield of potential danger! Most eye injures can be prevented through understanding, safety practices and the use of proper eye protection.
Indoor Safety
- Use safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs when there are small children or the elderly in the house.
- Provide lights and handrails to improve safety on stairs.
- Pad or cushion sharp corners and edges of furnishing and home fixtures, especially as many of these are at the eye height of toddlers.
- Install cabinet and drawer locks in kitchens and bathrooms.
- Store personal-use items (cosmetics, toiletry products), kitchen utensils, and desk supplies where they are out of reach of children.
- Always wear safety glasses or dust goggles to protect against flying particles, and chemical goggles to guard against exposure to fertilizers and pesticides. Most often injuries occur because of the thought that the job at hand will only take a minute or so.
- Inspect and remove debris from lawns before mowing.
- Keep paints, pesticides, fertilizers, and similar products properly stored in a secure area. Ensure they are in clearly marked containers.
- Keep your tools in good condition; damaged tools should be repaired or replaced.
- Wear chemical safety goggles when using hazardous solvents and detergents.
- Read and follow all manufacturer instructions and warning labels.
- Do not mix cleaning agents.
- Know that spectacles don't always provide enough protection. Safety goggles can and should be worn over prescription spectacles.
