Tatum Eyecare | March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month

March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month!

Did you know that every March is workplace eye wellness month? Well, it is! Did you also know that nearly 25,000 Americans visit the emergency room due to a workplace eye injury annually. Every march during Workplace Eye Wellness Month, the American Academy of Ophthalmology talks with employers and employees about the importance of wearing only certified, approved protective eyewear.

Tips for Eye Protection in the Workplace

These tips for eye protection in the workplace are meant as suggestions only. We strongly recommend you are always in compliance with your specific industry and company regulations, which may (very well) be stricter than what we are about to share. This being said, please always be sure to:

Wear at least officially approved safety glasses with side-shields in any area with flying particles, objects or dust
Wear at least full-coverage goggles in any area with chemicals
Wear only special purpose safety googles, face shields and/or helmets when working in any area with hazardous radiation coming from welders, lasers and/or fiber optics

Protecting Your Eyes at Work

No matter what industry you are in, protecting your eyes at work is of the utmost importance for you, as well as everyone who relies on your vision to keep them safe. Although protecting your eyes at work is vitally important for everybody, if you are in the following industries, protecting your eyes at work can result in much less risk for your vision health on a daily basis:

Construction/mining
Manufacturing
Welding/carpentry/plumbing
Maintenance
Auto repair

International Safety Equipment Association

For those who are unfamiliar, the International Safety Equipment Association has set standardized regulations for eye protection in the workplace. Specially:

“ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 prescribes the design, performance specifications, and marking of safety eye and face products, including millions of safety goggles, spectacles, faceshields, and welding helmets, worn by workers in thousands of manufacturing and processing facilities, university and research laboratories, and other occupational settings.”

The Z87 Committee on Safety Eye and Face Protection, which is administered by the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA), developed this protocol. It was then approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The safety eyewear conforming to this standard is widely used throughout the United States. Furthermore, this standard is incorporated into OSHA regulations for personal protective equipment.

Whether you feel like digging deeper into the statutes and regulations guiding eye protection in the workplace, please know that just because March is workplace eye wellness month doesn’t mean there are not organizations looking after your eye health and safety all year round!

The Best Optometrists in North Phoenix

Whether you want to protect your eyes at work, or you want to be extra careful at home in the garage or while active, Tatum Eyecare is here to help. Although March is Workplace Wellness Eye Month specifically, we are committed to safety-based vision care in Phoenix all year round. We stock a full line of safety eyewear, complete with side shields and all safety lenses are ANSI certified and stamped. However, if you mention this blog every March, you can receive 25% off your safety eyewear order in celebration Workplace Eye Wellness Month! With Tatum EyeCare’s help, protecting your eyes at work has never been easier or more affordable. You should rightfully expect nothing less from optometrists dedicated to providing outstanding vision care in Phoenix. We welcome you to contact us to learn more about we can help you get proper eye protection in the workplace!