A clearer perspective on eye safety

One in three employees now require prescription safety eyewear, yet 55 per cent of companies in a recent study¹ were found to be inadvertently providing employees with insufficient eyewear protection. This oversight puts workers at risk of eye injuries in the workplace, a fate suffered by more than 4,000 employees in the UK in 2021². 

For those working outside, it’s also important to remember that high UV levels can be a danger to eye health all year round, not just in the summer months.

Failures in the purchasing process can often contribute to the risks. In some cases, employees are left to source their own protective eyewear directly from an optician. But compared with safety professionals, opticians may not have the same expertise of protective eyewear, and this can lead to incorrect purchasing choices that offer insufficient protection.  

The correct safety eyewear must fully consider the sufficient protection required for the individual wearer, based on the specific tasks and the hazards involved. Working with safety experts to select and issue the correct safety eyewear for workers benefits both the employer and employees.

To ensure compliance, choosing safety eyewear that not only protects the wearer but is comfortable and fits correctly can promote productivity and increase efficiency, so it is important to include the wearer in the selection process. 

Regardless of who orders the eyewear, the employer is ultimately responsible for ensuring it provides sufficient protection, and the consequences of non-compliance land with those in charge. If unsuitable eyewear puts an employee at risk, the employer can face unlimited fines and legal action. Carrying out a proper risk assessment and working with safety professionals can help determine the correct level of protection is issued.

Another, less-considered consequence of an accident at work is the negative impact on the morale of other employees, especially when considering 88% of people fear losing sight more than any other sense³.  

Minimising the risk in the buying process helps minimise risk to the workforce.

To prevent the risk of eye injury, employers can conduct a simple 10-second test to check the safety rating in accordance with the EN166 Personal Eye Protection Standard.

• S rating (increased robustness only): will prevent an injury when impacted by a small object travelling at up to 12 metres per second.
• F rating (low energy impact resistant): tested and proven to resist small objects travelling at up to 45 metres per second.
• B rating (medium energy impact resistant): will break upon impact when struck by a small object travelling at 120 metres per second.
• A rating (high energy impact resistant): will protect the wearer from small objects travelling at 190 metres per second. 

Depending on the workplace, it is unlikely that employees will require B- or A-rated protection, but it is imperative that employers check the rating required for everyone using the eyewear and ensure there is expertise at every stage of the process.

As we say goodbye to another summer, it can be tempting to think outdoor workers won’t need to think about UV protection for their eyes for a while. The strength of the sun’s UV radiation is often mistakenly thought to be linked to temperature, but this is not the case with more than 80 per cent of the sun’s harmful UV rays, which can also pass through light clouds and windows. 

Most safety glasses naturally protect the wearer’s eyes from UV damage. Polycarbonate, the main product used for lenses in quality safety eyewear, has a natural UV protection level of around 90 per cent, so it is inherent in the product itself, which is not the case with a lot of non-safety products. However, if workers are exposed to the sun often, eye protection should have UV400 standard protection, meaning the eyewear provides almost 100 per cent protection from UV rays. 

Ensuring appropriate purchasing practices are in place with the right level of expertise at every stage is where all employers should start when evaluating their protective eyewear supplied to employees. Combined with regular testing to ensure all employees are wearing the correct eyewear, this will help ensure the safety of workers, and avoid any legal, emotional and financial repercussions for businesses.

Alex Turgoose is PPE product & procurement manager at Arco. For more information, visit arco.co.uk.

References

1 https://healthandsafetyupdate.co.uk/2020/01/09/more-than-half-of-companies-unaware-of-hidden-risks-with-prescription-safety-eyewear-arcosafety/
2 https://www.transportengineer.org.uk/content/features/eye-safety
3  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6777262/