Eye injuries can be among the most serious of workplace accidents. Unfortunately, they are also very common.

An injury which would be minor if it occurred elsewhere can be extremely serious if it occurs on the eye. For example, a piece of metal which is shot through the air from a grinder can cause a minor scratch on your skin, but sudden blindness if it strikes your eye.

That is why it is extremely important to wear eye protection at all times when there might be the danger of flying particles, chemical splashes, or impact accidents involving your eyes.

There are many different types of eye protection available. The most widely used are the basic safety glasses. Unlike street glasses, safety glasses come with side shields for better protection and are made of special material which resists impact. While street glasses are made to provide some protection against impact, they cannot be relied upon to protect you from industrial hazards.

Some common objections to safety glasses in the past have been that they are uncomfortable and that they look stupid. Today, these objections are no longer valid. There are many different styles and sizes to choose from – anyone should be able to get a comfortable fit.

Safety glasses do an extremely important job in protecting your eyesight. What if you lost your vision because of an injury which you could have avoided if you had been wearing safety eye wear? Wouldn’t any objections which you had to your safety glasses seem ridiculous compared to losing your precious eyesight?

In the workplace, there are many hazards to your eyes. Mechanical processes such as grinding and sawing create particles of wood, metal and other substances. These particles can be shot through the air with great force. Even hand tools can set off projectiles which can be fired into the eye. Compressed air tools also can move small particles at a great speed.

Besides the dangers of small projectiles, many work situations also create hazards of impact injuries. A blow which would cause only a bruise elsewhere on the body can cause irreparable damage to the delicate eyeball.

And don’t forget about chemical hazards. Many common workplace chemicals cause corrosion of body tissues on contact. Special goggles and hoods are made for protection against chemical and vapor hazards. Molten metal in operations such as a foundry also poses a special danger to the eyes and calls for special protection.

Radiation is another serious eye hazard, and that is why anyone in the vicinity of a welding operation needs to wear the right filtered eye protection. Often with eye protection, more than one type is required. An example would be the combination of safety glasses and face shield worn by a welder.

Not only is it important to wear eye protection, but it is also important to wear the right kind. Get help from a qualified advisor such as your safety supervisor in choosing your safety eye wear. If you are having problems with the fit, keep trying until you find something comfortable. You are more likely to be wearing your safety glasses if they fit comfortably.

You don’t have to be working in the plant to require eye protection. In fact, safety eye wear must be readily available to anyone who even passes through an area which has eye hazards. This would include even occasional visitors to the shop, plant, lab or other hazardous area.

Safety eye wear is also important off the job. Many tasks around home call for eye protection. Among these are woodworking, lawn mowing and handling of cleaning chemicals. Make eye protection a part of your life both on and off the job.