May 28, 2019
## Our Eyes Deserve a Break! Let’s Keep Them Safe at Work
Our eyes are amazing, but they’re also pretty delicate. Sadly, around 2,000 people in the US injure their eyes on the job every single day! That means a lot of lost work time and medical bills, costing companies a whopping $300 million a year. Yikes!
The good news? Most eye injuries (like 90%!) can be totally avoided. Here’s how to keep your employees safe and healthy (and save some money in the process).
**Planning for Prevention, Not Just Reaction**
Many workplaces just react to accidents – someone gets hurt, they get treated, and then things go back to normal. But that doesn’t stop it from happening again!
Smart companies take a proactive approach. They figure out what could cause eye injuries and stop them before they even happen. This is called a “predictive safety plan.” Think of it like a superhero stopping bad guys before they can cause trouble!
**Know Your Enemy (the Eye Hazards)**
Every workplace is different, so the first step is figuring out what could potentially hurt someone’s eyes in your business. In construction or factories, flying bits of stuff are a big culprit. So, your plan would focus on ways to keep those out of people’s eyes.
Think about tasks like hammering, drilling, welding, or grinding. All those sparks and dust particles can be dangerous! Even seemingly harmless things like spraying or sanding can put eyes at risk. The key is to make sure everyone wears the right eye protection, all the time.
**Goggles Aren’t One-Size-Fits-All**
Not all eye protection is created equal. Goggles might be good for chemicals, but for welding, you’ll need something with side shields and face protection to block sparks. There are also rules about what kind of eye protection is best and where to put eye wash stations. Knowing these rules will help you create a complete safety plan.
But it’s not just about following the rules – talk to your employees! Why aren’t they wearing their safety glasses all the time? Maybe they’re uncomfortable or fog up easily. In one study, workers didn’t wear their glasses because they fogged up, so the company provided an anti-fogging solution! Crazy, right?
By listening to your employees and making adjustments based on their needs, you can create a plan that actually works.
**Safety Starts at the Top (and Goes All the Way Down)**
Keeping your employees safe isn’t just about being nice (although that’s important too!). It also saves you money! When people get hurt, they miss work, which costs you money. Plus, a safe workplace keeps employees happy and engaged, which means they’re more productive and less likely to quit. Win-win!
Here’s the secret sauce: leadership needs to be all in on safety. When the boss is talking about it and everyone knows it’s a priority, safety practices are more likely to stick. Regular safety meetings help keep everyone focused on staying safe.
**Taking Care of Those Peepers Every Day**
On top of workplace hazards, encourage your employees to take care of their eyes in general. Limit screen time whenever possible, and when you are in front of a screen, don’t sit in the dark. Take breaks to look away for a few seconds – the 20-20-20 rule is a great way to do this (look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds every 20 minutes).
By following these tips and creating a solid safety plan, you can keep your employees’ eyes safe and healthy. After all, a happy and healthy workforce is a productive one!
