Sight is one of our most important senses. Many of us take eyesight for grant it, until it is compromised by an accident. For these basic reasons it is important to protect the eyes when working on a construction job site. Understanding and knowing how to use this piece of safety equipment can help to prevent injuries to the eyes.
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) require that employers provided proper safety eyewear such as goggles on a job site. The goggles should be specially designed for the task the employee is working on and fit snug to the face and head. They should never impair the vision of the wearer, be comfortable and easy to clean when they become dirty.
Proper eye protection should be worn when welding. Welding goggles are specialized just for this type of job. An arc-welding torch can produce intense heat, sparks and bright light; therefore it is important to wear them when welding. The lenses of this particular type of safety goggles are a dark in color to give the eyes protection from the ultraviolet and infrared rays that occur during welding. This type of goggle will also protect the eyes from the flying sparks that are produced from the arc-welding torch. Since this type of construction or manufacturing job can be hazardous to the eyes when safety is not followed, it is important that the welding goggle lenses are made out of scratch resistant and impact resistant materials. They should also be anti-fog so one has a clearer view of what they are welding on, because the intense heat can cause a person to perspire.
Chemical safety goggles are worn when one is working with various chemicals that can be harmful to the eye. Safety glasses are not recommended due to the fact that chemical goggles encase the whole eye area on the face, where safety glasses do not. Chemical safety goggles prevent liquid from splashing in the eye and keeps vapors from damaging the eye. These are the two most basic injuries that can be prevented when wearing chemical safety goggles.
Everyday there are an estimated 2,000 eye injuries that occur when proper eyewear is not worn. The most common eye injury that happens is due to flying debris on a job site. The second most common eye related injury involves chemicals that splash in the eye. Workers that have experienced any type of eye injury know how important wearing the right safety goggles is for the job at hand.
You should always wear safety glasses when performing any tasks where things could potential damage your eyes. Check your safety plans for information and guidelines on when and where to wear them.