These days most workplaces are (quite rightly) not overly hazardous. In this modern work environment, the risk of eye injury is likely to be considered minimal and having to wear safety glasses unnecessary.

But it’s worth reminding ourselves—and our employees—just how easily the human eye can be damaged, and by a variety of hazards: splinters, chips, dust, protruding objects, pressurized fluids, chemical splashes, vapours, gases and UV light.

Workplace eye injuries are in fact very common.

A US Bureau of Labor Statistics survey showed that nearly 60% of workers who suffered an eye injury at work were not wearing any eye protection when the accident occurred, and the workers usually reported that they didn’t think protection was required in the situation. In 2015 the large number of 12,000 New Zealanders filed a claim with ACC for an eye injury suffered at work.

Over 90% of these workplace eye injuries were due to four main causes:

1. Being struck in the eye by flying particles and objects such as nuts, bolts, ball bearings, springs, and fragments from abrasive blasting and grinding.

2. Striking the eye against an object, for instance by blundering into a protruding piece of equipment.

3. Eye contact with:

• Splashes of molten metals, hot liquids, corrosive chemicals, irritant liquids, infectious agents.
• Fumes—corrosive, irritant.
• Dusts—organic, chemical, abrasive, corrosive. Exposure to radiation from welding flash, ultraviolet or infrared radiation, very hot substances, laser beams, laser reflection or fibre optics.

Exposure to radiation from welding flash, ultraviolet or infrared radiation, very hot substances, laser beams, laser reflection or fibre optics.

When should I wear safety eyewear?

Eye dangers are in every workplace, but some jobs are riskier than others. Especially at risk are manufacturing workers and tradesmen—assemblers, builders, concrete workers, plumbers, mechanics, tool or equipment operators for example.

Whether or not you think eye injuries are likely in your workplace you still need make an educated assessment of the hazards. Being aware of your surroundings is an important part of staying safe.

Look at your work environment and analyse it from a ‘what if—worst case scenario’ point of view. Is there any risk from:

• Flying particles? (including dust and splinters, chips or shavings)
• Protruding items? (particularly common in workshops and construction sites)
• Chemicals? (splashes and fumes)
• Fluids? (molten metal, pressurized
• Compressed air?
• Radiation? (intense visible light including sunlight and arc welding, UV light, heat/infrared radiation, lasers)
• Pathogens? (splashes/contact with potentially infectious body fluids or biohazards)

If any of these hazards are present, you need to think seriously about making safety eyewear compulsory in that area of the workplace.