Keeping Your Eyes Safe at Work – Workplace Eye Wellness Month
Remember this commercial from everyone’s favorite candies? “Yellow” understands the importance of proper eyewear in the workplace.
Prevent Blindness America reports that more than 700,000 Americans injure their eyes at work each year! That’s a lot of eye injuries. The more startling statistic is how many of these eye injuries could have been prevented by safety glasses! That number? Ninety percent. Nine out of every ten of these eye injuries would not have happened if the worker had just worn a pair of regulation safety glasses!
If you work in an environment where hazardous fumes waft through the air, or particles of dirt, debris, wood or machinery are flying, then you should be wearing safety glasses. Some occupations where safety glasses are a must include: welding, carpentry, painters and machinery operators. Chemists, lab technicians, science teachers, nurses, surgeons, emergency personnel and even artists may also benefit from wearing safety glasses while on the job.
Some people (incorrectly) believe that wearing their regular eyeglass frame will keep their eyes safe at work. This is NOT the case. Safety glasses are specifically designed so the frame and lenses to protect your eyes. The materials safety glasses are made out of are more durable than traditional eyeglass frames and lenses. In fact, these materials are made to meet government standards (OSHA and ANSI Z-87.1-2003) for safety eyewear.
Safety Eyewear
In some cases, special tints, ultraviolet or anti-reflective coatings can be added to your safety glasses depending on the specifications of your work environment. Other frames feature permanent or detachable protective side shields to protect your eyes from every angle.
Safety glasses frames are made of plastic, metal or titanium frames that won’t conduct electricity. The lenses are made from either polycarbonate or glass and can be made in your exact prescription–whether it is single vision, bifocal, trifocals, or even progressive lenses. If you like your lenses polarized or prefer Transitions lenses (lenses that change from clear to tinted) that’s an option you can add, too.
The best news—and the number one reason why you have no excuse not to keep your eyes safe at work—your insurance will usually pay for safety glasses. If you need safety glasses for your occupation, ask your employer if they will cover them through a corporate program or if they have an insurance policy that will pay for them. Some companies even work with the America’s Best Safety Eyewear Program to provide employees with safety glasses.
