SOSSaving Our Sight

Few things can be more frightening than the prospect of permanent blindness. Yet, workers take risks with their eyesight every day. Half of all eye injuries occur on the job, and in 9 out of 1 cases, the workers weren!t wearing any eye protection. "he rest had relatively minor injuries. #any materials in the work environment are potentially ha$ardous to our eyes% chemicals, radiation, metal fragments, particles, and tools. &ut proper eye protection can help eliminate these accidents and save our sight. "hat is why those of you whose work involves any risk of encountering those ha$ards are re'uired to wear the appropriate eye protection. (t!s also why failure to wear the re'uired protection will bring first a reminder, then a warning, then a reprimand in your record, and ultimately more severe discipline. "hose actions may annoying or distressing )but hardly as much so as losing your eyesight would be. You!ve seen that ( wear my own protective glasses when ( visit or walk through an area where dust or chips may be flying. *o should you.

Safety Eyewear
"here are several options in protective eyewear, depending on the particular job and its ha$ards)glasses, goggles, helmets, face shields, and so on. *afety glasses with side or cup+type shields provide better all+around protection than those with just frontal lenses. For very ha$ardous jobs, goggles, helmets, and face shields should be worn together with safety glasses. Face shields should never be used alone. (f you wear regular glasses, don!t assume that because they are impact+resistant, they will ade'uately safeguard your eyes. (ndustrial safety eyewear must meet stricter standards. #ade of optical 'uality glass or plastic, it can have the wearer!s prescription ground right in. ,enses in worn condition are less resistant to impact, so scratched or pitted eyewear should be replaced as soon as possible. -ontact lenses offer no protection to the eye. "hey can often be worn along with safety glasses, with these important e.ceptions% jobs or work areas that involve e.posure to chemicals, vapors, splashes, radiant energy, intense heat, molten metals, or an e.tremely dusty atmosphere.

First Aid
/espite our best preventive efforts, occasional accidents can occur. 0nd our response can determine whether permanent injury results. Here are some 1worst+case1 scenarios and what should)or shouldn!t)be done. 2 0 ha$ardous chemical splashes into your eyes. Flush them with water immediately, forcing the eyelids open. -ontinue flushing for at least 13 minutes.

*eek emergency medical help 'uickly. 2 0 speck gets in your eye. /45!" 67& ("8 -arefully flush out the speck by lifting the upper eyelid outward and pulling it down over the lower lashes. (f it won!t wash away, get medical assistance. You suffer a blow to the eye. 7se a cold compress to keep the pain and swelling down. (f pain persists and there is any discoloration or reduced vision, seek medical help. *omething sharp cuts or punctures your eye or eyelid. /4 54" wash it with water, or try to remove an object stuck in the eye. &andage lightly and see a doctor at once.

6emembering these preventions, precautions, and prescriptions can provide the answer to our 1*4*1 and *ave 4ur *ight.