March is Workplace Eye Safety Awareness Month! According to Prevent Blindness, the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization, more than 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day.
Up to 20 percent of work-related eye injuries cause temporary or permanent vision loss. The most common causes of eye injuries at work include flying objects (bits of metal, glass, plastic), air-blown particles (dust, wood, sand), tools (screwdrivers, wrenches), chemicals (gasoline, oil, solvents, acids), and harmful radiation (welding arcs, UV).It’s also important to keep eye safety in mind around the house. Accidents involving common household products cause 125,000 eye injuries each year. Household cleaners and chemicals are common causes of eye injuries.
In most cases, simple precautions can help you prevent eye injuries. Complete an eye hazard assessment and wear safety eyewear whenever there is a chance of eye injury. Avoid distractions when doing anything that could potentially harm your eyes. Resist the temptation to multi-task when working with tools or other objects near your eyes.
To learn more about eye safety, visit www.PreventBlindness.org or www.allaboutvision.com.
