Eye injuries a danger on the job

Keeping one’s eyes safe on the job is important for people in Connecticut dealing with hazardous tasks and substances. However, even for workers in offices, eye safety can be a priority and a matter for action as eye injuries in the workplace can be costly and devastating. There are over 20,000 injuries to workers’ eyes on the job each year in the United States.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that $300 million is lost each year due to workplace injuries to the eyes. This is in addition to the personal cost to workers, which can range from severe pain to loss of eyesight. However, many such injuries are preventable; some estimates say that 90 percent of workplace eye damage could be avoided through the use of protective eyewear. There are a variety of eye injuries that people can experience at work, from a simple eye strain to serious, traumatic injuries.

Around 40 percent of these serious injuries occur in industries that have the potential for greater eye damage, including mining, manufacturing and construction. However, desk jobs do not provide automatic relief from eye injuries. Looking at a computer screen all day is a common cause of eye strain and the resulting fatigue and headaches. Since a person’s blinking rate can be reduced by 50 percent when staring at computer or tablet screen, the eyes can also become red and dry at the office.

There are a number of steps that employers can take to make workplaces more eye-friendly from providing appropriate safety equipment to adjusting lighting on the job. However, there remain thousands of workers whose eyes are damaged each year in workplace accidents or injuries. People who have been injured on the job have a right to workers’ compensation benefits, and an attorney can help injured workers take action to protect their rights and secure the compensation to which they are entitled.