OSEA Safety Blog

Workplace Eye Wellness

Tuesday, February 27, 2018 Natalie Salem

March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 20,000 workplace eye injuries happen each year costing an estimated $300 million a year in lost productivity, medical treatments, and worker compensation. Workplace eye injuries can be caused by many different things ranging from computers causing eye strain to chemicals or flying objects in the eye.

Ways to protect your eyes:

  • For eye strain from a computer screen minimize the glare off the computer screen, adjust your computer settings minimizing the brightness, and take breaks every 20 minutes or so and look at an object in the distance. This relaxes the muscle inside the eye that causes strain and fatigue.
  • Wear safety eyewear – non-prescription or prescription safety glasses, goggles, face shields, welding helmets, and full-face respirators are available to use for safety eyewear.
  • Know the eye safety dangers that you can come in contact with on a daily basis. This can help you identify the type of safety eyewear needed.
  • Eliminate hazards before starting work by using machine guarding, work screens, and other engineering controls.
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