Always wear effective eye protection. OSHA standards require that employers provide workers with suitable eye protection. To be effective, the eyewear must be of the appropriate type for the hazard encountered and properly fitted. For example, the BLS survey showed that 94% of the injuries to workers wearing eye protection resulted from objects or chemicals going around or under the protector. Eye protective devices should allow for air to circulate between the eye and the lens. Only 13 workers injured while wearing eye protection reported breakage.

Eye Safety

If eyes are not protected adequately when working with laser beams, severe damage can occur. The correct choice of lens density and color is based on the wavelength and power of the specific laser being used. Plastic goggles, for example, should not be worn by workers who might be exposed to direct laser beams or reflections. To ensure adequate protection, these workers should wear filter safety-glass goggles. In January 1986, a severe retinal burn from a laser beam was the subject of an Office of Environment, Safety and Health (ES&H) Serious Accident bulletin (Issue No. 11, January 1986). The beam melted a hole in the worker's laboratory-approved plastic laser safety goggles. Investigators determined that this injury would not have occurred had the worker been wearing filter-glass eye protection.

Common protection measures:

• Know the eye safety dangers at work-complete an eye hazard assessment
• Eliminate hazards before starting work. Use machine guarding, work screens, or other engineering controls)
• Use proper eye protection.