Eye Protection...How much is enough ?

Eye Protection

Too many workers who wear eye protection still suffer injuries. Here's help on how to determine when more protection is needed. Because workers who wear protective eyewear still suffer injuries, how much protection is enough? To answer that question, begin with a hazard assessment to determine which of several eye hazards exist for each job:
1. Dust, concrete, metal and other particles;
2. Chemicals such as acids, bases, fuels, solvents, lime and wet or dry cement powder;

3. Falling or shifting debris, building materials and glass;

4. Smoke and noxious or poisonous gases;

5. Welding light and electrical arcs;

6. Thermal hazards and fires; and

7. Bloodborne pathogens (hepatitis or HIV) from blood, body fluids and human remains.

Types of Protection
To ensure that workers wear the proper type of protective eyewear, the following list from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health provides a starting point:
1- Safety glasses. Safety glasses with side protection provide minimum protection and are for general working conditions where there may be minor dust, chips or flying particles. Side protection includes side shields and wraparound-style safety glasses.
2-Goggles. Goggles provide higher impact, dust and chemical splash protection than safety glasses. Goggles for splash or fine dust protection should have indirect venting. Use direct-vented goggles for less fogging when working with large particles. Safety goggles designed after ski-type goggles with high air flow minimize fogging while providing better particle and splash protection than glasses.
3- Hybrid safety glasses or goggles. Safety glasses with foam or rubber around the lenses provide better protection from dust and flying particles than conventional safety glasses. Wraparound safety glasses that convert to goggles with a soft plastic or rubber face seal may offer better peripheral vision than conventional goggles. Johnson cautions, however, to avoid hybrids or wraparounds when more impact protection is needed than safety glasses provide. In those cases, use goggles.
4- Prescription safety glasses. Workers who wear nonsafety prescription glasses should wear tight-fitting goggles over the glasses. Because contact lenses may present a significant corneal abrasion risk when working in dusty areas, contact lens wearers should wear unvented goggles.
5-Face shields. When protecting the eyes, don't forget to guard against injuries to the face. For highest impact protection, face shields protect the full face from spraying, chipping, grinding and critical chemicals or bloodborne hazards.

Don't Forget To:
1.Brush, shake or vacuum dust and debris from hard hats, hair, the forehead or the top of the eye protection before removing the protector.
2.Avoid rubbing eyes with dirty hands or clothing.
3.Clean eyewear regularly and ensure the protector is in good condition.
4.Ensure eye protection fits properly and will stay in place.