Using safety eye protection can reduce the risk of eye injuries in the workplace.  The type of safety eye protection that should be worn in the workplace depends on the hazards associated with the work area.

Eye injuries in the workplace are very common. Studies conducted on the frequency of eye injuries show that 1 in 10 injuries require one or more missed workdays to recover from the injury according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Each day approximately 2000 U.S. workers sustain some kind of work-related eye injuries which is more than 700,000 Americans injuring their eyes at work each year. This staggering number of workplace eye injuries calls for solutions to protect workers from accidents that result in damage to the eyes or ‒ worse ‒ permanent loss of vision.

To prevent eye injuries, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) created uniform testing standards and guidelines for a variety of products and equipment used by businesses in nearly every sector. The standards help ensure that eye and face protection products provide the necessary protection from hazards. Each product must go through rigorous third party testing that simulates hazards, such as impact from flying objects and debris, high mass impact, and sharp object penetration. One important standard for eye protection (ANSI Z87.1) was revised in 2010 and again 2015. The current standard (ANSI Z87.1-2015) differentiates eye protection according to risk and enables users to select appropriate protection based on work environments and hazards. OSHA suggests eye protection for workers in the construction industry involved in demolition, excavation, painting jobs, chemical work etc. that expose workers to serious eye injuries and employers can use or refer to ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2015 eye and face protector selection guide to select the appropriate eyewear for their employees.

ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-rated safety glasses (Photo courtesy of FastCap LLC.)

Safety glasses with bifocal diopter options (Photo courtesy of FastCap LLC.)

Ninety percent of eye injuries can be prevented by wearing the appropriate safety eyewear for the task at hand. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is responsible for setting and enforcing protective workplace safety and health standards. OSHA mandates the use of ANSI Z87.1-certified safety eyewear, as shown in Fig.1, and requires employers to provide the eye protection appropriate for the particular hazards involved with the work task. A “Z87+” inscription indicates the eyewear meets the high velocity impact requirement; “U6” means the eyewear has a UV rating of six, which is the highest rating; and “S” indicates a special lens tint.

Effects on Productivity

Workers have a right to a safe workplace. The law requires employers to provide appropriate safety equipment and accessories. Providing a safe workplace is not only required by law, it also increases productivity. A report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2014 showed that a total number of 23,730 cases of eye injuries or illness resulted in two median days away from work. A similar report by BLS in 2008 also show that out of a total of 27,450 eye injuries or illness, the construction industry accounts for 5,510 (20.1%) of the eye injuries. 

Other factors that can potentially contribute to accidents to the eye include:

·         Failure of the employer to enforce the use of eye protection

·         Failure of the employer to train workers on proper use of eye protection

·         Underestimating the risk of eye injury and the value of using eye protection

·         Inadequate eye protection, especially when the job requires a face shield.

·         Limiting the use of eye protection to equipment operators only, even though anyone in the area is also at risk.

·         Improper use of tools and equipment

·         Lack of regular maintenance for tools and equipment

Dr.Behzad Esmaeili, Tomay Solomon 

• Structural Steel
  • Build or erect false work
    • Eye injury
  • Dismantle or demolish metal structures
    • Eye injury
  • Drill, grind and saw materials
    • Eye injury
  • Erect and dismantle scaffolds
    • Eye injury
  • Erect stairways, curtain walls, wire rope railings
    • Eye injury
  • Fabricate metal structures in shop and field
    • Eye injury
  • Hoist and move members and components in shop
    • Eye injury
  • Inspect and use mechanical lifts
    • Eye injury
  • Inspect and use scaffolds and ladders
    • Eye injury
  • Install decking
    • Eye injury
  • Install exterior skin
    • Eye injury
  • Load and unload material, members and components
    • Eye injury
  • Place and connect structural members
    • Eye injury
  • Rig and hoist structural members and machinery
    • Eye injury
  • Unload, assemble, jump and disassemble cranes
    • Eye injury