Eye Protection for Outdoor Workers
April 25, 2012
Like indoor workers, outdoor workers can be exposed to a number of eye hazards--but the need for eye protection for these workers is often overlooked. Here are some hazards you should evaluate when it comes to providing eye protection for your outdoor workers.
- The sun: Sunlight poses hazards both seen and unseen. Bright light (particularly if looking in the direction of the sun) can make it hard to see; glare off of objects can temporarily blind; and invisible ultraviolet (UV) lightcan cause long-term damage to the eye and lead to the development of cataracts. If you have workers who spend a significant time outside--including those who drive--provide eye protection that mitigates the effects of the sun. And remember, the sun isn't just a summer phenomenon; it's present year-round, and your employees need protection year-round.
- Dust: Blowing dust and grit on worksites can get in workers' eyes, causing injuries like abraded corneas. When workers are on sites with blowing dust, you should provide them with properly fitting goggles. Safety glasses do not provide appropriate protection for blowing dust because they do not fit tightly to the face and thus allow dust in.
- Sprays: When working with spraying equipment outdoors, workers should wear goggles. They should not rely on the wind to carry the spray away from them--a change in wind direction can blow spray back on the worker and into his or her eyes.As with dust, goggles are needed when working with sprays because safety glasses do not provide the necessary protection.
- Dirty hands: Eye infections and chemical eye injuries from outdoor workers rubbing their eyes with dirty hands are far more common than you may think. Whether from general dirt and grit, germs, chemicals, or plant secretions, you can easily protect workers' eyes by providing work gloves to keep the material off their hands and encouraging hand washing after glove removal.
- Infectious materials: Workers who are at risk of coming in contact with fecal matter, animal respiratory secretions, and other infectious matter must wear protective eyewear. Diseases can be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the eye as a result of direct exposure (for example, splashes or airborne material from activities such as animals coughing) or, as noted above, from touching the eyes with contaminated hands. Infections can range from minor issues like conjunctivitis or reddening/soreness of the eye to life-threatening diseases like HIV, hepatitis, or avian influenza. For infectious matter, appropriate eyewear will depend on the nature and extent of the hazard. It could include goggles, face shields, safety glasses, or even a full-face respirator.
There are hazards that you can engineer out, and there are those you can't
If you can't eliminate a hazard in your workplace, you're required to protect your workers from it. Often, that means providing personal protective equipment (PPE). But each hazard is unique, and many choices are available when it comes to PPE. So how do you know your employees are picking the right PPE for the job?
"Audio Click 'n Train: PPE-Hazard Assessment and Selection" is a plug-and-play professional quality audio presentation that provides a complete, comprehensive training session with both visuals and audioas well as training reinforcement materials--quizzes, handouts, and interactive exercises! This complete training course meets the needs of all types of learners (audio, visual, tactile) for results-oriented training. These courses can be used as self-directed courses or in a classroom setting for ultimate flexibility.
When the training is completed, trainees who supervise employees in the use of PEE will be able to understand how a PPE hazard assessment is conducted, select the proper PPE to protect employees against the hazards that were found during the hazard assessment, and show employees how to wear and care for the PPE.
PPE-Hazard Assessment and Selection includes:
- A fully prepared PowerPoint presentation: Fully researched and expertly designed safety meetings on this key OSHA topic.
- An audio presentation: A movie-like version of the PowerPoint presentation with audio included for out-of-the-box classroom training.
- Reproducible handouts: Print and photocopy the handouts to reinforce the training.
- Interactive exercises:Interactive exercises increase comprehension.
- Quizzes: To test your employees' knowledge.
- Completion certificate: Document who satisfactorily completed training.
- Trainer's guide: To help you understand key training issues for this topic and compliance issues
Get your copy today!
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