Why is it important to wear protective eyewear on the job site

You should wear safety goggles because they protect your eyes from many hazards at work, home, and on the street. Safety glasses save businesses and workers a considerable amount of time and money. In addition, wearing safety glasses can significantly impact overall eye health in the long term.

Even diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration do not cause as many cases of blindness as eye injuries. At best, eye protection prevents injury in the first place. At a minimum, they almost always reduce the severity of the injury and prevent permanent eye damage. Eye hazards exist in every workplace, but some jobs carry a higher risk than others.

70% of eye injuries in the workplace are associated with flying or falling objects or sparks, and about 20% of workplace injuries are related to contact with chemicals. Other causes of frequent eye injuries are swinging objects such as tree branches, ropes and chains, and other work tools. Dangers also exist at home, with yard work, power tools, and chemicals being the main culprits. During leisure, the biggest causes of eye injuries are sports and fireworks.

Safety glasses include goggles and face shields. The key to choosing the right safety glasses is correctly assessing the potential hazards in your area. In the workplace, this means having and following the advice of safety experts from OSHA and conducting regular safety checks. At home, this includes, at a minimum, wearing standard safety goggles for yard work, house cleaning, and when working with power tools. When relaxing, this means using what experts recommend for specific activities.

Wearing safety glasses regularly saves hundreds of dollars by preventing and reducing the severity of injuries.

Goggles, many of which cost only a few dollars, are an economical solution for comprehensive eye protection. Employees who wear safety goggles save themselves from paying the rising cost of eye injuries. Safety glasses save time and money by preventing many injuries in the first place. They also reduce the severity of injuries.

According to the HSE, potential eye hazards may include:

• Liquid chemicals

• Chemical gases

• acids

• molten metal

• Dust

• Projectiles (falling objects)

• Dangerous fumes

• Radiation

• The level of potential risk determines the level of goggles required.