Our eyes are among our most valuable assets at work. Without proper vision, it would not be possible to work in a large number of fields, such as construction. However, without the proper safety gear to protect our eyes, we put our sight and our livelihood at risk.
How to choose the right gear for your employees
According to the experts, wearing the proper safety eyewear can prevent nearly 90 percent of eye injuries. That being said, far too many workers have insufficient or outdated eye protection. It is the duty of a company's safety managers, or anyone else in charge of purchasing proper work equipment, to ensure that their employees have the best protection available.
There are, however, a few factors to consider when choosing the correct protective eyewear. They include:
- Choose the manufacturer carefully. Does the company invest in research and development of their product? Do they value what the customers have to say and take their input into account? Companies that provide the best products know what their consumers need and make the product fit that need.
- Is it up to industry standard? Do not purchase eyewear unless it has the American National Standards Institute's (ANSI) Z87.1 stamp. This stamp is only given to products that uphold an industrial level standard. Eyewear with this stamp not only meets strength tests, but also is specially designed to fit the needs of workers in your field.
- Ensure that the safety eyewear properly fits each employee. If the eyewear is too loose, sits crookedly or doesn't properly fit over the bridge of the nose, that increases the risk of an accident affecting the worker's eyes.
- Take the work environment into account. Will the work be done primarily outside, in bright sunlight or in particularly humid climates? Being aware of the working conditions will help mitigate for potential problems on your employees' eyes. For example, some safety eyewear provides features such as fog-resistant or anti-glare lenses.
The Pennsylvania workplace accident lawyers at O'Malley & Langan believe in the importance of proper safety attire in any workplace. Products such as protective lenses or non-slip shoes go a long way in preventing accidents. If you or a loved one have been injured in a worksite accident, contact us today. We have the skills and experience to get you the compensation you deserve.
