When undertaking any form of work Personal Protection Equipment, often abbreviated and commonly known in the industry as PPE, is essential in guaranteeing a project is undertaken in the safest way possible.
Within the professional working industry eye related injuries cost companies over £180m a year just in lost production time. When accidents in the work place occurred 60% (3 out of 5) of injured workers were either not wearing the correct eye protection or, more worryingly, they were wearing none at all.
The eyes are one of the most sensitive and delicate parts of your body. Unfortunately they have very little in the way of protection against foreign objects, especially considering they are virtually always open.
The most common form of eye injury is when forms of debris such as metal shards, wooden splinters or pieces of sand, cement etc enter the eye. Other smaller particles such as smoke and dust do not cause as much damage but can cause major discomfort as an irritant.
Dust and smoke is easily washed away from the eyes via your tear ducks (when your eyes water). This is a natural process your body uses to flush away unwanted elements. However this is not always the best method to clear the irritant and an external water source is recommended. Signs that your eyes have become irritant are if your eyes become red or sore and if they start to water.
Below are the main hazardous that both professionals and DIY enthusiasts are regularly exposed to during most working processes:
- Chemicals – especially when using pressure washers or carpet cleaners.* Chemicals can cause harm via both liquid and vaporised forms.
- Metal splash – shards of metal produced from grinding, welding etc.
- Dust – some professional and DIY processes/projects can create over 15kg of dust EVERY hour.
- Projectiles – pieces of broken cement or shards of wood from sawing,cutting or breaking.
- Under pressure gas & vapours – such as certain heaters, air compressors and framing nailers.
*All of Hire Station’s cleaning solutions are 100% chemical free and made in the UK. Our range of cleaning products are naturally sustainable and are not hazardous to the environment in any way.
For each separate scenario and hazard combination there is a piece of protective equipment designed to keep you and your eyes safe. Here are some of most common and specific pieces of equipment:
- Safety spectacles – These are almost identical to normal glasses. They differ in construction via the lenses being made out of tougher material.
- Eye shields – They are a single piece of construction with a frame less design that are commonly worn over regular prescription glasses.
- Safety goggles – Constructed from semi-flexible plastic with an elasticated headband, they provide better protection against small particles such as dust since they produce a tight fit around your eyebrows, eyes and the bridge of your nose.
- Face shields – These tend to be the heaviest and bulkiest forms of face & eye protection with most being used for tasks such as welding (different types of welding require different forms of face shields). Face shields fully protect the face by covering the entirety of the front of the face and even areas approaching the ears, under the jaw and most of the forehead. However, they do not entirely protect the eyes against gases or dust.
Even with all the correct protective equipment accidents can still happen. Even the smallest of injuries or intrusions into the eyes should be treated immediately as permanent damage, including blindness in one or both of your eyes, can be caused. According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) over 90% of eye injuries can be prevented simply by wearing some form of eye protection.
If you have any queries about the project you are going to undertake please don’t hesitate to contact a member of the Hire Station team either by phone, email, social media or even our new and improved web chat system. We will be on hand to ensure you have the correct and maximum protection possible.