SAFETY ON SITE
step you can take toward greater eye safety
Talk to your safety eyewear supplier
in the workplace. Doing so will help them
With the emergence of new options for
identify individual ways to protect their
protective eyewear and endless ways to
eyes and prioritize their overall eye health.
customize it, connecting with your safety
Since overall eye health can contribute to
eyewear supplier is a valuable means in
workplace injuries (e.g., grogginess, outdated
finding the best product for protecting
prescriptions, or eye infections), encouraging
your employees from eye injuries. Every
employees to talk with their eye doctor is
workplace - even if it falls under the larger
another way to avoid injuries to them and
umbrella of construction, welding, or other
costs to you.
trades - will have unique demands when
their eye doctor, as this is another valuable
it comes to eye safety. Connecting with
Choose the right eyewear
eyecare professionals allows you to talk
Safety glasses are no longer limited to the
through whether you need polycarbonate
stock wrap-around workshop glasses from the
or plastic lenses, non-conductive options
past. Thanks to advances in eyewear design
at your disposal, UV protection, and if all of
across the board, access to more-durable
your employees require the same eyewear.
lenses, stronger, more comfortable and better-
Your eyewear supplier is best positioned
fitting frames, and non-conductive eyewear
to help navigate these options and design
is more attainable than ever. Patients can
customized programs and pricing for you
now choose from polycarbonate lenses over
and your workforce.
plastic or glass, and frames can be fitted to the Further, there are now offerings that include
In short, make eye health a priority
cushioning and other safety features to help
When it comes to workplace safety, it can be
prevent injuries to the face or areas beyond
too easy to overlook hazards to employees’
the eye itself. Taking all of these factors into
eye health. In the end, keeping eye safety top-
consideration will help you land on the option
of-mind and emphasizing its importance to
that will best protect your employees based
your employees is key in contributing to the
on their job duties and environment.
overall safety and success of your business. F
individual rather than a one-size-fits-all model.
myth that everyday prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses are sufficient in protecting eyes from injury. Employees may assume risks to be limited to projectiles or that glasses provide a sufficient enough barrier to other hazards, so you’ll want to highlight the need for more durable lenses, side shields, and other features that protect their eyes. You’ll also want to clearly establish the contexts in which employees should use safety eyewear, particularly if there are hazards in areas they may not expect. Instruct employees on how to properly wear or defog eye protection to help prevent employees from removing it on the job. Ultimately, safety eyewear that meets ANSI Z87.1 standards will provide the best options to your employees. It is also recommended that employees
Kirk Lauterback, is Shopko Optical’s chief operations officer. Shopko Optical is the trade name of Shoptikal LLC, an affiliate of Monarch Alternative Capital LP. For more than 40 years, Shopko Optical has provided excellent patient-centric care and high-quality eyewear through its dedicated team of nearly 700 optometrists (independent doctors of optometry in IA, ID, MT, SD and WA) and opticians. www.shopko.com
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