Ocular Injury and Infection Risks in the Workplace and the Importance of Eye Protection

Thousands of employees are blinded each year from work-related eye injuries that could have been prevented with the proper selection and use of eye and face protection according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Many other workers incur injuries and infections resulting from eye contact with objects, particles, droplets, chemicals, and even due to thermal burns.

OSHA standards require employers to ensure the safety of all employees in the work environment, this includes eye and face protection. This must be provided whenever necessary to protect against chemical, environmental, radiological, or mechanical irritants and hazards.

Regarding eye infections, there are a number of different types of bacteria and fungi that can cause damage. For eye infections caused by fungi and yeasts, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists Fusarium, Aspergillus, and Candida as three of the more common causes. Fungal eye infection symptoms are often similar to those of other types of eye infections, and can include:

• Eye pain
• Eye redness
• Blurred vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Excessive tearing
• Eye discharge

“Eye injuries and infections on the job can be devastating for workers and cost businesses hundreds of millions of dollars per year in lost production time, medical expenses, and workers’ compensation,” said Frank Selamie, President of CTSI. “Some work-related eye injuries result in immediate harm, while others could introduce microbial pathogens into the eye that cause serious infections perhaps days later. To help prevent these types of injuries and infections, CTSI’s industrial hygiene, infection control, and safety professionals offer workplace inspections, air testing for microbial and chemical hazards, eyewash station monitoring, eye protection and personal protective equipment training, and other environmental, health, and safety services. These resources help to ensure that companies and institutions are doing all they can to protect their employees from preventable exposure hazards.”

To learn more about this or other industrial hygiene, indoor air quality, infection control, environmental, health, and safety services, please visit www.ctsiweb.com, email contactus@ctsiweb.com, or call (212) 971-7016.

About CTSI
Established in 1992, Consulting & Testing Services, Inc. (CTSI) was founded on one strong commitment: to provide efficient and expert services to clients based on professionalism, innovation, and cost-effective expert solutions. This commitment has been furthered with CTSI’s reputation in fostering client relationships in all sectors of the Environmental, Health, Safety, and Construction industries. CTSI prides itself in utilizing a high quality service based on its diverse team of staff and professionals’ concise recommendations and solutions to the most pressing dilemmas. The company operates offices in New York and Florida that service clients across the United States.

Contact Information

Paul Cochrane

President

Cochrane & Associates, LLC

Contact via E-mail