What contributes to eye injuries at work?

-- Not wearing eye protection. The BLS reports that nearly three out of every five workers injured were not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident.
-- Wearing the wrong kind of eye protection for the job. About 40% of the injured workers were wearing some form of eye protection when the accident occurred. However, these workers were most likely to be wearing protective eyeglasses with no side shields.

What causes eye injuries?

-- Flying particles. The BLS survey found that almost 70% of the accidents studied resulted from flying or falling objects or sparks striking the eye. Injured workers estimated that nearly three-fifths of the objects were smaller than a pinhead.
-- Contact with chemicals caused one-fifth of the injuries.

Where do accidents occur most often?

-- Craftwork. Potential eye hazards can be found in nearly every industry, but the BLS reported that more than 40% of injuries occurred among craft workers, like mechanics, repairers, carpenters, and plumbers.
-- Industrial equipment operation. Over a third of the injured workers were operatives, such as assemblers, sanders, and grinding machine operators. Almost half the injured workers were employed in manufacturing.

How can eye injuries be prevented?

-- Always wear effective eye protection. OSHA standards require that employers provide workers with suitable eye protection. To be effective, the eyewear must be of the appropriate type for the hazard encountered and properly fitted. The BLS survey showed that 94% of the injuries to workers wearing eye protection resulted from objects or chemicals going around or under the protector.
-- Better training and education. The BLS reported that most workers were hurt while doing their regular jobs. Workers injured while not wearing protective eyewear most often said they believed it was not required by the situation. Even though the vast majority of employers furnished eye protection at no cost to employees, about 40% of the workers received no information on where and what kind of eyewear should be used.
-- Maintenance. Eye protection devices must be properly maintained. Scratched and dirty devices reduce vision, cause glare and may contribute to accidents.

WHERE CAN I GET INFO ON SAFETY STANDARDS?

Contact your local OSHA office. Safety and health experts are available to explain mandatory requirements for effective eye protection and answer your questions. They can also refer you to an on-site consultation service available in nearly every state through which you can get free, penalty-free advice for eliminating possible eye hazards, designing a training program, or other safety and health matters.

Don't know where the nearest federal or state office is? We have that information for you. Call an OSHA Regional Office near you!

WHY SHOULD I USE GATEWAY SAFETY PRODUCTS?

As the place Where Safety Meets Style, Gateway Safety provides products and services that offer many advantages. To learn more about these Gateway Safety advantages, call for details about our customer power point presentation.

CAN ANYONE PLACE AN ORDER WITH GATEWAY SAFETY?

No – In order to build stronger relationships with our distribution partners, Gateway Safety has instituted a policy of selling our industrial safety products exclusively through our industrial distribution and safety supply house partners.

However, if you ARE interested in purchasing one of our safety products please call 1-800-822-5347, and we will be happy to refer you to a Gateway Safety distributor located near you.