Workplace eye injury statistics - Don't be one of them
Think of all the times you've completed a task at work without eye protection, injury-free. Perhaps the application doesn’t seem that hazardous, or maybe the safety glasses you have are uncomfortable, scratched up, or they fog too easily. Plus, you’re good at what you do. You've been doing this job for so long that being careful is second nature. You don't need that safety eyewear.
Until that one time when "being careful" isn't enough. It happens in a split second, and maybe it wasn't your fault. Maybe you did everything right, but the tool you were using randomly failed, a coworker didn’t set up the workspace properly, or a machine malfunctioned. But whatever the reason, it happened - you become part of the statistics.
Accidents happen every day, and they usually occur in situations you’ve become all-to-comfortable with.
Here are some facts
You perceive up to 80% of all impressions by means of sight. If your other senses are compromised, it’s your eyes that will best protect you from danger, not to mention provide a more rewarding life. Preserving and protecting this organ is critical. Unfortunately, 300,000 workplace eye injuries send people to the emergency room each year nationwide.1And in most cases, safety eyewear is not being worn, it doesn’t fit, or doesn’t provide the appropriate protection for the application.
Of these 300,000 eye injuries, it’s estimated that 90% of them were preventable if the workers had been wearing the appropriate eye protection.
That's 270,000 workplace injuries that could be avoided each year.
Consider these other eye-opening injury statistics:
- Eye injuries make up nearly 45% of all head injuries that lead to missed workdays.
- Eye injuries account for an estimated annual $300 million in medical bills, compensation, and time off.
- Men ages 25-44 comprise 80% of all workplace eye injury victims.
- 40% of on-the-job eye injuries happen in the manufacturing, construction, and mining industries.
With such staggering stats, why aren't workers wearing their safety eyewear? We reached out to some customers, and here's what they said.
Common reasons safety eyewear isn't being worn:
It's unwearable.
Cheaply made safety eyewear becomes more of a distraction than a means of protection. Pressure, pinching and slipping points create an ergonomic nightmare for workers, and protective eyewear ends up on top of workers' heads or in their pockets instead of over their eyes.
It's "unnecessary."
Despite decades of reported eye injury experiences and how to prevent them, human ignorance and resistance are still big problems. Many workers think of eye protection as unnecessary and choose to not wear their required eye protection.
It's fogging.
In a recent study with manufacturing, construction, service, and retail workers, 100% of participants reported fogging as a major factor for not wearing their PPE on the job. They can't see with the fogged-up eyewear, so naturally, they take them off. In the same study, 55% said that if their safety eyewear had working anti-fogging technology, they'd comply with wearing it.
It's uncool.
Let's face it, safety eyewear doesn't always have the most glamorous look. Everyone likes to wear things they feel good in, so it's no surprise that safety eyewear falls to the wayside for some.
Remember, the best eye protection is the protection that's worn. And it's not just about protecting your eyes, it's about protecting your most critical sense – your sight.
HexArmor® can help
When it comes to choosing the right protective eyewear for your application, we can help. At HexArmor®, we believe one size does not fit all, which is why we’re committed to developing the highest quality and technologically advanced safety eyewear lineup on the market - helping you stay laser-focused on the task at hand, not on your eyewear - and keeping you out of the statistics.
Put our safety eyewear to the test and request a trial today. Or reach out to one of our Safety Solutions Specialists at 1.877.MY.ARMOR or info@hexarmor.com.
References:
Eye Injury Statistics