Each day about 2000 U.S. workers have a job-related
eye injury that requires medical treatment. About one third of the injuries
are treated in hospital emergency departments and more than 100 of these
injuries result in one or more days of lost work. The majority of these
injuries result from small particles or objects striking or abrading
the eye. Examples include metal slivers, wood chips, dust, and cement
chips that are ejected by tools, wind blown, or fall from above a worker.
Some of these objects, such as nails, staples, or slivers of wood or
metal penetrate the eyeball and result in a permanent loss of vision.
Large objects may also strike the eye/face, or a worker may run into
an object causing blunt force trauma to the eyeball or eye socket. Chemical
burns to one or both eyes from splashes of industrial chemicals or cleaning
products are common. Thermal burns to the eye occur as well. Among welders,
their assistants, and nearby workers, UV radiation burns (welder’s
flash) routinely damage workers’ eyes and surrounding tissue.
In addition to common eye injuries, health care workers, laboratory
staff, janitorial workers, animal handlers, and other workers may be
at risk of acquiring infectious diseases via ocular exposure. Infectious
diseases can be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the eye as
a result of direct exposure (e.g., blood splashes, respiratory droplets
generated during coughing or suctioning) or from touching the eyes with
contaminated fingers or other objects. The infections may result in relatively
minor conjunctivitis or reddening/soreness of the eye or in a life threatening
disease such as HIV, B virus, or possibly even avian influenza.
Engineering controls should be used to reduce eye injuries and to protect
against ocular infection exposures. Personal protective eyewear, such
as goggles, face shields, safety glasses, or full face respirators must
also be used when an eye hazard exists. The eye protection chosen for
specific work situations depends upon the nature and extent of the hazard,
the circumstances of exposure, other protective equipment used, and personal
vision needs. Eye protection should be fit to an individual or adjustable
to provide appropriate coverage. It should be comfortable and allow for
sufficient peripheral vision. Selection of protective eyewear appropriate
for a given task should be made based on a hazard assessment of each
activity, including regulatory requirements when applicable.
NIOSH Eye Safety Resources
Eye Safety -
Emergency Response & Disaster Recovery
Provides an overview of eye hazards and injuries, plus information on
types of eye protection, safety for prescription lens wearers, and first
aid.
Eye
Protection for Infection Control
Provides background information and specific details on eye protection
used to supplement eye protection recommendations provided in current
CDC infection control guidance documents. It is intended to familiarize
workers with the various types of eye protection available, their characteristics,
and their applicable use.
Eye Safety Tool Box Talk
Provides an example tool box talk on eye protection for construction
workers.
Contact Lens Use in a Chemical Environment
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication 2005-139
(June 2005)
Provides safety guidelines for contact lens wearers working in chemical environments.
Occupational Eye Injury Statistics
Work-RISQS
The NIOSH Work-Related Injury Statistics Query System (Work-RISQS) provides
national estimates and rates of occupational injuries and illnesses
treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments. To obtain annual occupational
eye injury statistics do queries based on 'Part of Body = eyeball'.
Survey of Occupational Injuries
and Illnesses
External Link: http://www.bls.gov/iif/
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) conducts an annual survey of employers
to assess nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in U.S. private
industry. Eye injury statistics are provided for OSHA recordable incidents
that involve days away from work (see Nonfatal injuries and illnesses
case and demographic characteristics sections for Part of Body = eye).
BLS has provided summaries for 2002 and 2004.
Health Hazard Evaluations and Fatality Reports
NIOSH conducts Health Hazard Evaluations (HHEs) to find out whether
there are health hazards to employees caused by exposures or conditions
in the workplace.
Some recent HHE reports related to eye safety have been listed below.
For a comprehensive listing of HHE reports please search the HHE
Database.
- HHE Report HETA-2007-0068-3042 Noise exposures and hearing loss assessments among animal shelter workers, Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Algiers, Louisiana (Ocular exposure to disinfectant)
931 KB (20 pages)
- HHE Report HETA-2002-0379-2901 Superior Label Systems
Mason, Ohio (Vision effects of chemical exposure)
386 KB (19 pages)
- HHE Report HETA-2001-0483-2884 Immigration and Naturalization Service
San Diego, California (UV-C exposure)
374 KB (15 pages)
- HHE Report HETA 2000-0105-2794, Wampler Foods, Inc.
Hinton, Virginia (Chemical exposure in food processing)
263 KB (34 pages)
- HHE Report HETA 98-0061-2687 Yerkes Primate Research Center
Lawrenceville, Georgia (Ocular splash)
242 KB (19 pages)
- HHE Report HETA 98-0139-2769 The Society of Glass Beadmakers
Corning
New York (Radiation/Particulate matter)
254 KB (21 pages)
- HHE Report HETA 98–0224–2714 The Trane Company
Ft. Smith, Arkansas (Radiation)
204 KB (11 pages)
- HHE Report HETA 96–0119–2586 Melroe Company
Bismarck, North Dakota (Radiation)
1.47 MB (19 pages)
- Fatality Report 06-OR-025 Ranch Worker Killed by Pressurized Water Striking Eye
Oregon (High pressure liquid exposure)
NIOSHTIC-2 Search
is
a searchable bibliographic database of occupational safety and health
publications, documents, grant reports, and journal articles supported
in whole or in part by NIOSH.
NIOSHTIC-2
search results on Eye Safety
Other Resources
American
National Standard for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection
Devices, ANSI Z87.1-2003
External Link: http://www.safetyequipment.org/eyeface.htm
The standard provides performance-based criteria for manufacturing and
testing of common industrial forms of safety eye protection such as safety
glasses (prescription and non-prescription), goggles, faceshields, welding
helmets, and full-face respirators. Additionally the standard includes
a safety eye protection selection guide and an eye injury incident reporting
form.
Avian
Influenza - Protecting Poultry Workers at Risk
External Link: http://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib121304.html
This OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin is a product
of the OSHA-NIOSH Issues Exchange Group. It describes
measures for protecting poultry workers when an avian influenza outbreak
occurs. This document complements avian population disease control and
eradication strategies of state governments, industry, and the U.S. Department
of Agriculture and will aid in the development of biosecurity guidelines
and standard operating procedures for the various sectors of the poultry
industry.
also
available in PDF (47
KB (8 pages))
NIOSH Alert: Protecting Poultry Workers from Avian Influenza (Bird Flu)
DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2008-128 (2008)
Provides guidance to employers and workers about protecting poultry workers from exposure to avian influenza viruses (May 2008)
Hazard
Alert — Eye Injuries in Construction
From the Center to Protect Workers' Rights, this document provides
general information on eye protection with an emphasis on welding.
Healthy
Vision 2010
External Link:http://www.healthyvision2010.org/safety/injury.asp
Provides information along with baseline data on the U.S. Department
of Health and Human Services sponsored goals to reduce eye injuries among
American workers.
How
Much Eye Protection is Enough?
From the Electronic Library of Construction Safety and Health (eCLOSH),
this document covers hazard assessment, types of eye protection, and
information about proper fitting.
National
Ag Safety Database (NASD): Eye Protection
Provides basic information on preventing eye injuries.
National
Ag Safety Database (NASD): Eye Protection for Farmers
Provides information on causes for farm-related eye injuries, types of
eye protection, basic first aid.
OSHA
Eye and Face Protection eTool
External Link: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/eyeandface/index.html
Provides information on hazard assessment, selecting protective devices,
and OSHA requirements.
OSHA
Safety & Health Topic: Eye and Face Protection
External Link: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/eyefaceprotection/index.html
Covers OSHA and ANSI standards for eye protection, hazard recognition and possible solutions.
OSHA Safety & Health Topic: Compliance Assistance Success Story—Saddle Creek Corporation Provides Forklift and Golf Cart Drivers with Eye Protection
External Link: http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/success_stories/compliance_assistance/saddle_creek.html
After reviewing the number of eye injuries experienced by its forklift and golf cart operators, a corporation implemented a formal eye protection program that resulted in eye injury incidents and related workers’ compensation costs dropping over the next 5 years.
Toolbox
Talk: Eye Safety
From the Electronic Library of Construction Safety and Health (eCLOSH),
this document discusses how and why eye injuries occur in the workplace
and what to do to prevent them.
Page last updated:
July 23, 2008
Page last reviewed: May 13, 2008
Content Source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
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