Eye Injury Causes
Eye injuries at work can happen for various reasons. Here are some of the most common causes:
Grinder Wheel Explosion
- The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) discovered that in the year 2000, 70% of eye injury accidents at work were caused by flying or falling objects, or sparks hitting the eye. Workers who got hurt often said that the objects causing the injury were really small, almost the size of a pinhead. Most of the particles were said to be traveling faster than a hand-thrown object when the accident occurred.
- Chemicals were responsible for one-fifth of the eye injuries. Other accidents were caused by objects swinging from a fixed or attached position, like tree limbs, ropes, chains, or tools which were pulled into the eye while the worker was using them.
Where Accidents Occur Most Often
- Nearly every industry has risks for eye injuries, but the BLS noted that over 40% of these injuries happened to craft workers, including mechanics, repairers, carpenters, and plumbers.
- Over a third of the workers who suffered eye injuries were operatives, including roles like assemblers, sanders, and grinding machine operators.
- Laborers experienced about one-fifth of the eye injuries. Nearly half of the workers who got injured were in manufacturing, and just over 20% were in construction.
Preventing Eye Injuries
- To ensure safety, it's crucial to always wear effective eye protection. For eye wear to be effective, it must be appropriate for the specific hazard and fit properly.
- Improving training and education is essential. The BLS found that most workers got injured doing their usual tasks. Many who weren't wearing protective eyewear thought it wasn't required by the situation. Despite most employers providing eye protection for free, around 40% of workers weren't informed about when and which type of eyewear to use.
- Maintenance is crucial for eye protection devices. If they're scratched or dirty, they can make it harder to see, create glare, and might lead to accidents.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
3-2. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), most eye injuries are caused by _____.
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