Eyes are vulnerable in a lot of workplaces. This is why eye injuries are so common. In Canada alone, every day there are roughly 200 job-related eye injuries that occur.

Fortunately, the right eye protection is believed to be an effective preventative. As many as 90 percent of these eye injuries can be prevented with protective equipment like safety impact goggles.

Safety impact goggles are the best protection you have for your eyes while at work. They offer a wraparound lens that still allows you to tap into your peripheral vision. The kind made by 3M Centurion also has a venting system that minimizes fogging. Any sort of prescription eyewear can also be worn with it. Safety goggles are easy to use and don’t obscure vision.

Let’s take a look at the most common eye injuries that occur in the workplace.

• Chemicals in the eye.
• Foreign objects in the eye.
• Cuts or scrapes on the cornea.
• Splashes from grease or oil.
• Burns from steam.
• Ultraviolet or infrared radiation exposure.
• Injury from flying metal chips.
• Injury from flying wood chips.

Did you know 3 out of 5 of workers who suffer eye injuries were not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident – it’s true. The right kind of eye protection can mitigate the risks of a lot of these common injuries, especially with someone working in an industrial, construction, or warehouse setting.

The type of eye protection you should wear depends on your workplace obviously. The occupations where the risk is the highest for an eye injury are construction workers, in manufacturing, mining, carpentry, auto repair, electrical work, plumbing, welding, and maintenance. If you’re advised to wear safety goggles or similar eye protection, do so. It could save your vision. All it takes is one accident to cause cataclysmic events.

Here are some of the benefits and protections given to you by industrial-quality safety impact goggles.

• Protection from impact.
• Protection from dust.
• Protection from chemical splashes.
• They shield the entire eye, not just the fronts.
• Protection from hazards coming from any direction.
• No reduced vision. No glare.

Protect your eyes. Wear goggles. Without vision or with an eye injury, you might not be able to continue working. It will impact every aspect of your life if you injure your eyes. In our opinion, workplace injuries stemming from a lack of protective wear are way too common. If you’re working in a workplace where it’s recommended, don’t skimp on eye safety.