Projectiles, Lasers and Liquids: Eye Dangers
It’s important that the right eye protection is provided at work, and at sponsored activities. There are over 50,000 individuals who lose some or all of their eyesight every year due to an accident that involves the eyes. Ninety percent of these injuries could have been avoided if the right protective gear was used, according to the United States Eye Injury Registry.
Dr. Greg Vigna is board certified rehabilitation doctor and an eye injury lawyer who works closely with leading specialists in eye trauma. If you’ve sustained an eye injury due to missing or faulty eye protection contact Dr. Vigna for legal and medical information about your case.
Protective Eye Wear
There are many protective eyewear designs, depending on the individual who will be wearing the goggles, and what they should protect against. Protective goggles need to fit properly, be made of special material that won’t break and cause secondary damage to the eye, and should be rated by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for the activity for which they are used.
Projectiles: If there are high velocity objects in an environment, for example construction and manufacturing hazards or paintball bullets, the eyewear needs to stop the projectile, not be damaged on impact, and also stand up to repeated insult. Ballistic eyewear that follows U.S. Military APEL (Authorized Protective Eyewear List) guidelines is necessary in many environments to protect the eyes against entertainment and workplace accidents that can result in permanent loss of vision.
Lasers: There are different kinds of lasers, and the protective eyewear provided needs to be appropriate to the type of laser in use. Laser goggles have to protect against heat, ultraviolet light and radiation. It’s important that they wrap around the face, because laser light can bounce off surfaces and damage the eyes from the sides. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specific guidelines that employers must follow when lasers are in use. Anyone in the environment, not just the individual operating the laser, should be protected with correctly rated eyewear.
Liquids: A variety of chemicals are used in some work environments. Steam, caustic vapors and liquid metal can also cause significant eye damage. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, employers are required to incorporate prescription vision requirements into all protective eyewear, so that that nothing interferes with the right fit, and the eyes are completely shielded.
Eye Injuries
Damage to the eyes from projectiles, lasers or liquids needs to be evaluated and treated by an eye specialist. Long term complications such as infection, scarring, glaucoma and blindness are possible after an eye injury. As your eye injury lawyer, Dr. Greg Vigna works closely with experts in eye trauma and can determine if your eye injury is the result of not being provided the correct protective gear. For a free case evaluation, contact our law firm today to speak with a medical professional.
