Don’t Forget Eye Protection at Workin Boston, MA

The majority of jobs in the workplace rely on at least functional vision to get the job done.  However, working, while important, can also present some hazards to your vision. Depending on the line of work you’re in, there may be some procedures or even equipment in place that are crucial to protecting your vision. We urge you in these different situations to take the work safety protocols seriously.

Use Prescribed Safety Equipment

In cases like welding, it is critical that you follow workplace safety measures even if you’re just observing the work. Welding torches create a blinding light that permanently damages eyesight. This is why professional welders use extremely tough visors with “view ports” that dim the light to protect eyesight.

Even for activities that don’t involve blinding light, many safety protocols require wearing safety goggles or some other kind of eye protection to prevent stray particles from entering the very delicate mechanisms of the eye. Construction and carpentry, for example, require the use of protective eyewear when using industrial machinery to cut metal or steel.

Employ Rinse Stations

If you work at a job where an eye rinse station is present, get to know the exact procedure for using it. This is definitely one of those situations where you hope you never have to resort to it, but if you do, you’ll be glad you know what to do.

Rinse stations are often provided for jobs in which workers may be exposed to hazardous substances. If you get a chemical in your eye, a rinse station may be a sight saving piece of equipment.

Working at Home

Even when you’re relaxing or doing work at home eyewear can be a great way to protect yourself. Trimming hedges, doing DIY carpentry jobs with circular saws, even drilling holes in metal can all potentially send particles into the air that can damage your eye.

Here at The Nielsen Eye Center, we have had personal experience with removing metal shavings, eyelashes, sand kicked around at the beach, and chemicals that have splashed and gotten into the eye. The damage to the eyes can range from minor irritation with eyelashes to permanent damage with something like chemicals, or sharp metal shavings that have become embedded in the eye.

You may take it for granted, but you rely on your vision to get through most of your daily life. Take care of your eyes, and they’ll take care of you.