Every year, more than 10,000 construction workers suffer eye injuries that are so bad that they require workers to be hospitalized and miss days off work. Construction workers are particularly susceptible to eye injury hazards, and many of these are preventable.
Many of these injuries involve nail guns, injuries due to flying debris like splinters, tiny pieces of metal and chemical splashes. Eye injury risks exist on almost every inch of a construction workplace, and all of these injuries can be prevented by wearing the right kind of eye protection gear.
It’s important that construction companies provide workers with the right kind of eye protection gear. The gear must be suited to the activity that is being performed, and protect the worker against the risks generated by that particular activity.
For instance, if you are working in an environment that has a lot of dust, or exposes you to the effects of liquids or gases, it is recommended that you wear eye goggles. However, if you are working with chemicals, and are at risk of suffering chemical eye injuries, then it is imperative that you wear a clear plastic face shield.
Workers who are working in an environment full of flying pieces of metal, and wood splinters, workers engaged in sandblasting activities, or those who are working with chipping and grinding machines must also wear clear plastic shields that protect the eyes from injuries.
Moreover, when a worker is working in an environment where there is a risk of chemical eye splashes, there must be an eye wash station close by. If you are a welder working on a construction site, then the Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends that a flame-proof screen be set up around the worker in order to protect other workers from injuries.
The New York construction accident attorneys at Godosky and Gentile are dedicated to the representation of construction workers who have suffered eye injuries across the state of New York.