eye safety - smmr01.com · eye safety disclaimer this course should be reviewed to assure that the...

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Eye SafetyEye Safety

DisclaimerDisclaimer

This course should be reviewed to assure that the information conforms to recommended procedures, as well as to any federal, state or local laws regarding any facility’s operation.

The producer makes no warranty, expressed or implied, that the information in this course is accurate or appropriate for any particular facility’s environment, or any individual employee’s situation.

This published work contains confidential and proprietary information of Consolidated Digital Publishing. NoExcuses is a registered trademark of Consolidated Digital Publishing (CDP).

This course may not be reproduced or distributed in any form or part without the prior written permission of CDP.

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Course ObjectivesCourse Objectives

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for eyes.

Learn how to guard against eye strain and irritation.

Treatment for chemical splashes.

Learn how to take care of your PPE.

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IntroductionEye Problems Affect All People

Each Year Over One Million Eye Injuries OccurMechanism of the Eye

“Personal Protective Equipment” For Your EyesEye Strain Can Be Hazardous

Dust and Particles Can Cause ProblemsOther Situations That Can Cause Eye Problems

How to Take Care of Your PPEHow You Can Guard Against Eye Strain and

IrritationSpecial Treatment for Chemical Splashes

Light That Can Damage Your EyesSummary

Our eyes link us to the world around us. Without them we

would have a hard time with even the simplest activities. Walking

from one place to another would be a real adventure.


IntroductionIntroduction



Without our eyes we would miss many of the things we enjoy in life. A beautiful sunset…a fast

moving football game…the color of someone’s clothes. Without our eyes we would know none

of these things.

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We would also miss many aspects of the interactions we have with other people. A

friendly wave…hand signals from a co-worker…a child’s smile. More ominously, if

we were to lose our eyesight, we would probably have to depend on others for many

things we are used to doing ourselves.



As important as they are, our eyes are very fragile. It doesn’t take much to seriously injure them. We need to know what types of situations can harm them. We

also need to know how to protect and care for our eyes, both at home and at work.




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Eye problems affect all types of people, in all types of environments. We know that dust, harsh light and irritating chemicals can often be found at work. But we need to remember that we can encounter eye hazards at home and at play as well.


Eye Problems Affect All People

When we are at work it doesn’t mater what type of job we have or where we are. All of us are susceptible to eye irritation and injury.



At home or at play we need to be constantly on guard for dust…”pokes in the eye”…and other hazards.



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There are a number of problems that can affect our eyes:

•Eye Strain



•Irritations from dust and other particles



•Chemical or radiation burns



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•Punctures, tears and cuts



Any of these problems can occur at any time. Not only do we need

to watch our for them, but we need to know what to do if a

problem occurs.




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Eye injuries occur more often than most of us realize. It is estimated that one million people

suffer job related eye injuries each year.

Almost 100,000 of these injuries are disabling…70,000 of them occur in the

home…and 930,000 of them occur at work.


Each Year Over One Million Eye Injuries Occur

More is learned every day about how to prevent injuries to our eyes. Recent studies have looked at the affects of

different types of light. They have also shown that proper care and “exercise”

can help us maintain healthy vision.



One thing you can do to keep your eyes healthy is to recognize situations that are hazardous to your eyes, including your work patterns.



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You also need to know what types of protective gear and other equipment can help you keep your eyes safe and healthy…as well as how to use and

maintain the equipment properly.




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The eye is a complex mechanism. To keep it safe it is important for us to know how it works.


Mechanism of the EyeMechanism of the Eye

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When we “see” things, it’s because light strikes the object we are viewing. This light is then reflected to our eyes, carrying the image of what we are looking at.

The light then passes through the cornea, which acts as a “window” into the rest of the eye.



The light next travels through the pupil. The pupil will change in size, much like the shutter of a camera, so that the correct amount of light is passing through.



When the light passes through the pupil it is focused by a lens onto the retina.

Optic cells in the retina convert the light into electrical “signals”. These signals are sent to the brain, which “decodes” them into the pictures that we see.



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With all of these component parts, the eye is a very complex and fragile organ.

An injury to any of these areas can significantly affect our ability to see.




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Because our eyes are fragile, in many situations we need to use Personal Protective Equipment to guard against injury.

The first thing we need to know is how to recognize and evaluate possible eye hazards.


PPEPPE

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Once we determine what dangers our eyes are exposed to, we can select the right protective equipment. There are a number of types of eye protection we can choose from:

•Tinted glasses


PPEPPE

•Safety glasses


PPEPPE

•Safety goggles


PPEPPE

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•Face shields


PPEPPE

Even within these categories there are lots of choices. There are several varieties of tinted glasses for use with video display terminals,

bright sunlight or lasers.


PPEPPE

Standard safety glasses are shatter-resistant and help to protect against flying particles…side shields provide added protection.


PPEPPE

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Since goggles fit snugly against the face, they provide better protection against splashing

chemicals.


PPEPPE

Face shields provide an added layer of protection (always wear glasses or goggles

under them).


PPEPPE


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Eye strain can be a major hazard in many environments, both at work and at home.

It is most often caused by poor lighting, excessive contrast or shadowing.


Eye StrainEye Strain

Eye strain can also be brought on by spending large amounts of time doing “close work”.

In today’s environment, this often involves Video Display Terminals.



High levels of office lighting can sometimes overpower the VDT monitor image, causing our

eyes to strain to see what is on the screen.



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Dust on the screen can even be a problem, making images fuzzy and difficult to read. Glare from the monitor can also be a hazard. In most of these cases, tinted glasses (or tinted computer glare screens) can usually help.



Problems with eye glasses can also cause eye strain. These include:

•Incorrect (or outdated) prescriptions.



•Not wearing glasses correctly (such as down on the nose).



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•Not wearing glasses in all the situations where they are needed.



Unfortunately, problems with eye glasses can magnify other situations that cause eye strain.

Have your eyes checked regularly, and use eye glasses properly.




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Other conditions in our environment can cause eye problems as well.

Dust and other flying particles can be major hazards. To protect yourself in these situations you should use either “rigid body” or flexible goggles.


Dust and Particles Can Cause Problems

To make sure your eyes get enough air, goggles should have vents on both sides.

In extremely dusty situations, you may need to use a face shield as well.



Contact lenses can also be a problem. Dust, particles or chemicals can become trapped between the lens and your eye.



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However, contact lenses do not absorb chemicals quickly, or melt from sparks or electrical arcs.



Better get my safety glasses or

I’ll get fired!

Know your company’s policy on contact lens wear for the job that you do.



If you do get dust or other materials in your eyes, water is the first line of defense. If you get dust or dirt in your eyes, go to the nearest

eyewash station and rinse it out.



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Other situations can also cause eye problems.

Many liquids can irritate or injure the eye if splashing occurs. In these situations, you should use soft goggles with indirect air flow for protection.

You also may need a face shield.


Other Situations That Can Cause Eye Problems

Machinists and welders can have special problems.

They usually need to use both goggles and special face shields.



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Magnetic strips above face shield visors can help capture metal particles. Special filter lenses are often needed in many welding situations. They are usually built into the face shield itself.



Laser operations pose their own hazards. These call for glasses or goggles…often with special filters made for laser light and secondary radiation.



Make sure you know what eye protection you need for your job.

If you have any questions, ask you supervisor.



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Maintaining your protective eye wear is also very important.

Defective equipment may not provide the protection you need…and even worse, it can

sometimes cause problems of its own (for instance, a scratched lens can cause your eyes

to strain to see through it).


How to Take Care of Your PPE

Adhering to these three guidelines will keep your equipment in good shape:

•Keep lenses clean



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• Replace equipment that is scratched or broken



• Clean and store equipment properly



Remember to always keep your protective equipment with you. If you misplace it or leave it exposed, it can easily be damaged or broken.

Your eyewear is your friend…treat it with respect.



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If you do damage or lose your protective eyewear, replace it immediately.

Know where spare equipment is kept in your facility and the procedures to use to get it.

Don’t try and borrow a co-workers eyewear..it might not fit… and never work in a hazardous situation without it.




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Eye strain is often caused by poor lighting. It can also be caused by excessive contrast or

shadowing.


How You Can Guard Against Eye Strain and Irritation

Video display terminals can also cause eye strain. High levels of office lighting can overpower the VDT monitor image, or the glare from the VDT monitor can strain the eye. Tinted glasses may be helpful.



Eye glasses can cause eye strain if the prescription is wrong or the position of the eyewear is not correct.



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If you do experience eye problems, you should know how to combat them.

If you are experiencing eye strain, periodically “re-focus”your eyes at a different distance.

Repeat this exercise once an hour, for several minutes.





To remove dust and dirt particles from you eye:

•Do not rub the eye

•Dislodge the material by pulling you eyelid out and down



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•Use a handkerchief to gently loosen particles



If this approach isn’t successful, find an eyewash station and irrigate the problem eye.

Just rinsing the eye under a faucet can work in some cases.



If a particle becomes imbedded in your eye, don’t try to remove it!

Loosely bandage the eye and get medical attention as quickly as possible.



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Splashes can cause unique, and serious problems of their own. If you are splashed with a chemical, remember that your first priority is to get to water.

You want to dilute the chemical and rinse it away from the eye area as quickly as possible.


Special Treatment for Chemical Splashes

Head for the first available water source (you should know where eye washers and sinks are located in your work area). Then use the following procedure:

•Open the eyelid of the affected eye as wide as possible



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•Immerse the affected area in the water stream



•Do not let water flow to unaffected areas



•Continue the “rinse” for 15-20 minutes



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Once you have completed this process, get medical attention as

quickly as possible. Remember to have information about the chemical you were involved with available for

the doctor.




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Light itself can also be damaging to your eyes. Light from welding torches, lasers, sun lamps…even the sun itself…can all be

problems.


Light That Can Damage Your Eyes

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Infrared radiation and intense visible light can cause corneal burns.

Ultraviolet light can cause damaging photo-chemical changes within the eye.



Effects from these types of injuries often only become apparent 6-12 hours after exposure. Symptoms include:

•Blurred vision





•A feeling of “roughness” in the eye

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•Unusual sensitivity to light (sometimes causing pain)

Burns to the eye can have differing effects. Corneal burns usually heal in a few days. Burns

to the retina never heal. They will cause permanent loss of vision.



No burn is good for you eyes! And repeated exposure to eye hazards can

have cumulative effects.



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No matter what your job, don’t take chances.




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•Our eyes are complex, fragile organs.



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•Eye problems affect all types of people…in all types of environments.





•Over 1,000,000 people suffer eye injuries each year.






•Different types of eye problems require different solutions.



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•Different types of eye problems require different solutions.

•Light itself can be damaging.



•Eye strain can often be relieved with exercise, tinted glasses or other equipment.




•Some eye injuries will not heal.



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•Personal Protective Equipment can protect your eyes from many hazards.





•Personal Protective Equipment can protect your eyes from many hazards.

•Have your eyes checked regularly.



Our eyes are fragile and complex organs…they can be easily injured in a number of ways. But knowing how to recognize hazards…as well as

what PPE to use will keep them safe and healthy!



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