subject: Essential Eye and Face Protection for Workers [print this page] Each year, a lot of people are blinded due to work related eye injuries. Apparently, these eye injuries could've been prevented with the proper use and selection of an eye and face protection equipment. The eye injuries alone would've cost you a lot of money but if the whole face is affected, it will not only cost a lot of money but it can also prevent you from working.
In order to ensure workplace safety and health, both the workers and the employers should be able to recognize the hazards at work and be able to prevent accidents. This is very important especially for those who are working at construction sites or dealing with heavy machineries wherein accidents can happen anytime.
A good example of a type of job that requires face protection would be welding. Those who work in welding are faced with different range of work related hazards every day. These hazards would range from fumes to burns and from molten metals to harmful bright light.
One way of keeping the welders safe is through the use of proper face protection and other personal protective equipment. The welders and the employers should be aware of the basic practices for face protection related to welding.
In general, personal protective equipment refers to any type of clothing that is designed to protect the worker from any potential hazards that can occur in the workplace. While these clothing alone cannot eliminate all the potential risks that could happen at work, strictly implementing and following the rules and guidelines for PPE can greatly reduce the risks and prevent the injuries or accidents.
For face protection and other safety clothing to be effective, it should be free from damage, fit well, and should be able to provide the required level of protection. The workers should feel free to ask their employers whenever they have questions about the face protection tools and its proper usage.
For welders, the standard face protection and other PPE would include welding caps and helmets, face shields, safety glasses with side shields, and goggles. All of these tools are used to protect the eyes and the face of the welder from the high intensity sparks, lights, and spatters that are usually produced in most welding operations.
Before each use, the welder must inspect all of these tools first. Lenses should be replaced if it becomes too difficult to see through. For glasses with cracks, it should be immediately replaced because it can shatter easily. The goggles straps should also be replaced if they are already worn out.
After using these eye and face protection tools, make sure that you have wiped it clean and free from dust and dirt. There are available lens cleaning solutions that are especially designed to prevent damage on the special coatings.
Apparently, welders are not the only ones who need personal protective equipment. Other workers who are exposed to hazards at work should also be aware of the appropriate tools for their own personal protection.
