Jobsite Eye Injuries: How to Avoid Them

There is no shortage of ways to get injured on a jobsite. There is falling debris, moving machinery, spinning blades, nail guns, flimsy ladders and scaffolding, or the ever present danger of falling.

But in terms of vulnerability, there is no part of your body that is in more danger than your eyes. And in terms of an injury that can have permanent consequences, an eye injury is something that can truly keep you from providing for yourself and your family. And there is no other job where an eye injury can happen at any time than on the construction site. Nails, bolts, pieces of wire and tiny bits of metal fly through the air with impunity. Cement mixing, welding and sawing fills the air with grit and dust. Arc welders produce chemical fumes. Eye injuries or blindness are a constant risk on any job site.

Protecting your eyes is incredibly important, and according to OSHA, eye protection must be provided for you by your employer. Any contractor or foreman who says that you are responsible for your own eye protection is completely in violation of federal guidelines.

The Right Protection for Your Eyes

You should always wear glasses if your work will involve any chemicals, or if you are doing overhead work. If you are working with chemicals that splash, sandblasting, or welding, you should also wear a clear plastic face shield.

Your safety goggles should be up to the current standards. Currently, any safety eyewear must be marked with the inscription ANSI Z87. This shows that the goggles meet the approval of the American National Standards Institute, which is responsible for inspecting the quality of safety eyewear.

What to Do if You Suffer an Eye Injury

Use local-exhaust ventilation or fans to blow away fumes or dusts.

OSHA says there must be an eyewash station on your job if there are materials that could

damage your eyes. Know where you can wash your eyes.

If a dangerous or irritating chemical gets in your eye, immediately start to rinse it out for at

least 15 to 20 minutes straight -- and remove contact lens while you are rinsing. Use flowing tap

water, if there is some on site. Get to a doctor or nurse as soon as you can.

If you get hit in your eye, hold a cold compress over it, but do not press on your eye. (You can

put ice cubes in a plastic bag or clean cloth.) The cold helps keep down pain and swelling. If pain

continues or your vision is blurry, get to a doctor right away.

If you get hit in the eye with flying metal, wood, or material from a power tool (like a drill or

wheel), OR if your eye is cut or punctured:

• Do not wash out the eye

• Do not push on the eye

• Do not try to pull out anything that is stuck in the eyeball.

Get to a doctor right away.

If your eye hurts, go to an emergency room right away.

At Rappaport, Glass, Greene and Levine, our attorneys have the compassion, experience and tenacity necessary to secure fair compensation for our clients. If you or a loved one has been injured in a construction accident anywhere in New York, contact our offices for a free legal consultation today.