Eye protection at work: why invest in safety glasses?

Different tools, devices and chemical products expose you to varied dangers—especially exposures which could leave irreversible effects on your body, notably on your eyes.

Outside of most explicitly dangerous jobs, activities which may seem harmless, such as handiwork, gardening, cleaning,amongst many others, could quickly become dangerous if proper eye protection is ignored.

PREVENTIVE EYE PROTECTION MEASURES

Most, if not all manufacturing environments are risk-laden—risks may stem from mechanical (contusions or spraying), chemical (direct or indirect exposure to substances), biological and physical (optical radiation or thermal risks) sources.

Often neglected, the severity of burns deriving from basic products (such as ammonia, lime, potassium, sodium, bleach), risks causing severe eye damage with a delayed manifestation of symptoms (up to 2 or 3 days after the incident). In this case, nothing is more beneficial (and crucial) than a strong prevention plan which can protect you and your teams.

Workers are frequently inclined to put too much trust into their machines and handle their equipment without care. It is usually in these moments, that accidents take place. The following solutions are useful towards ensuring eye protection:

1- Identifying potential risks for your eyes:

• Sharp machines (circular saw, brushcutter, router…)
• Harmful exposures (dust, stones, fillings, wood, chemical products, fuels…)

2- Careful use of machines :

• An appropriate training which instructs the correct use of machines is a necessary step for all employees.
• Regular maintenance is vital to ensure all machines are properly functioning.In the case of a malfunction, immediate repair is necessary (broken piece, accurate adjustment according to the user etc.).

3- Organizing the work space:

• Establishing a healthy work environment in which nothing can impede the safety of operators, such as objects on the ground or on site, obstacles, and others.
• Ensure that safety parameters are respected at all times.

4- Wearing the right equipment :

• Once all safety measures are respected, it is important to equip all relevant staff with flawless eye protection.

ENSURING EFFECTIVE EYE PROTECTION THANKS TO SAFETY GLASSES

Specific sets of safety glasses correspond to different kinds of work. . Whether it is for short- or long-term work, protecting your eyes is always to be held as a priority. In fact, it is possible to obtain safety glasses uniquely tailored to your eyesight!

Here are the three most common forms of eye protection:

• Framed safety glasses ensure protection with a light frame protecting the side of your lens. This model does not guarantee perfect sealing, but it does protect your eyes against most kinds of exposure. This frame can be adapted to all eye types.

• Protection masks are made from one to two lenses and are mounted onto a thin structure which isolates the area of the eyes. Equipped with an elastic band, they imitate the shape of your skull and this guarantees high-quality sealing. Your eyes are also protected against all exposures, regardless of their nature or origin.

• Face shields are the only kind of equipment protecting the eyes, face and neck at the same time. They do not ensure sealing against exposure and are meant for welding activities; as long as an exposure to metal happens at a distance from the operator, it cannot provoke any damage.

Whether you intend to raise awareness about eye protection or use it to evaluate various dangerous jobs, Securo Vision experts propose tailored solutions adapted to your context.