Safety Eyewear Policy

According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, thousands of people become blind each year due to occupational injuries to their eyes. Eye and face protection offers a preventative solution to keep the employees' eyes safe from harm.

Function

• OSHA says that employers must regulate work environments to ensure that employees are wearing eye and face protection whenever they are exposed to flying particles, chemicals, gases, acids, liquids or light radiation. Employees that do not comply with eyewear policies are putting themselves at risk for eye injuries.

Types

• Many types of eyewear exist, and policies must outline what types of eyewear are appropriate for which jobs. For instance, eyewear with side protection is mandatory when the hazard of flying debris is present. Working with gases and chemical vapors may require the use of facial masks that cover the eyes, nose and mouth. Goggles are a common type of eyewear that cover the eyes, but provide partial coverage to the face.

Size

• Eyewear must fit the employee properly, or else the protective device will not be effective. Eyewear that is too large has the potential to slip down the worker's face, leaving the eyes exposed to hazards and obstructing the worker's vision.