After the structural collapse of a large building, emergency responders and support personnel are often exposed to hazardous agents and conditions. These workers are at high risk of injury and illness at such a site. Described below are common eye hazards and injuries that can occur during these operations and recommendations for protective eye gear, first aid, and steps for preventing eye injuries.
Seek medical attention as soon as possible following an injury, particularly if you have pain in the eye, blurred vision, loss of vision or loss of field of vision. There are several simple first aid steps that can and should be taken until medical assistance is obtained.
NIOSH reports about 2,000 U.S. workers sustain job-related eye injuries that require medical treatment each day. However, safety experts and eye doctors believe the right eye protection could have lessened the severity or even prevented 90% of these eye injuries.
Certain types of UV radiation can produce an injury to the surface and mucous membrane (conjunctiva) of the eye called "arc eye," "welders' eye" or "arc flash." These names are common names for "conjunctivitis" - an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the front of the eye. The symptoms include:
A leading supplier of fast food and supermarket chicken is facing more than $1.4 million in fines this year for worker safety and health violations, including several that led a teenaged worker to suffer the amputation of his lower leg.
Paragraph (c) of OSHA’s Occupational Safety & Health Standards - 29 CFR 1910.151 (Medical services and first aid.) requires “where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the work area of immediate emergency use.”
Institute for Safety and Health Management (ISHM) announces the 2015 Safety Management Professional of the Year. Stephanie Walsh, ASHM, Safety Specialist for Trendway Corp., a manufacturer of commercial office furniture and architectural products in Holland, Mich., was recognized for her caring, common sense, fun approach to safety improvement.
A study of work-related injuries involving a hand or fingers among union carpenters in Washington state, 1989 to 2008, found that hand injuries accounted for 21.1% of reported injuries and 9.5% of paid lost-time injuries.
The results of an electrical industry study over 10 years with 120,000 workers showed that there are about 125 electrical injuries per year with 77 percent of them arc flash injuries, 21 percent permanent disabilities and 2.4 percent fatalities.
The work that manual therapists do is physically demanding. Practitioners often use repetitive movements, hand force, static loading and awkward postures in their work, all recognized risk factors for developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
