Uvex Culture of safety

Four Technologies

uvexweb — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:16:43 +0000

Four Technologies

boost safety eyewear benefits

Today’s workplace hazards are more diverse and complex than ever, and safety eyewear has to live up to these increasing challenges to keep workers safe. Through ongoing research and by adapting technologies from other industries, safety eyewear manufacturers are developing new ways to protect workers in every application. This article looks at four technologies that deliver greater safety benefits to workers and help promote an overall safety culture.

Eye Safety Survey Results: What types of home safety programs are offered in your workplace?

uvexweb — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 13:36:24 +0000

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Eye Protection at Home

uvexweb — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:41:49 +0000

Expanding the culture of safety beyond the workplace

The proper use of safety eyewear has significantly reduced the number of eye injuries in the workplace over the last 20 years. Today, workplace eye injuries average just under 800,000 per year, and that number continues to drop. This success is due to a number of factors including regulation by OSHA, improved product offerings and better-informed safety professionals.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about off-the-job eye safety. Eye injuries occurring at home average a startling 125,000 per year – a number that’s on the rise. Common household dangers are present everywhere from the bathroom to the garage and even the backyard. Fortunately, experts agree that more than ninety percent of all eye injuries can be prevented through the proper knowledge, safety practices and use of protective eyewear.

By encouraging workers to bring safety practices from the workplace into the home, you can improve off-the-job eye safety. Have workers conduct a survey of the potential hazards around their homes and share the guidelines below. Your workforce will be better equipped to avoid injury, decrease lost time at work and protect their vision – a benefit everyone can see.

Outdoor hazards
As summer gets into full swing, consider the many common – and often unrecognized – eye hazards outside the home. Rocks, branches, debris and dust can all pose significant risks to unprotected eyes. Before mowing, inspect the lawn and remove debris and rocks that could kick up. When trimming, wear safety eyewear to protect eyes from flying limbs, particles and dust. Cut back limbs that rest at eye level. When applying fertilizer and pesticide, wear chemical goggles to protect from particle contamination and splashes. Store paint, oil, fertilizer and other chemicals in a secure, ventilated area where they cannot be tipped over or accessed by children or animals. Finally, maintain tools to ensure proper performance, just as you would at work.

Indoor hazards
Many do-it-yourself projects take place inside the home. Gaining in popularity, do-it-yourself projects can expose individuals to unfamiliar challenges – such as those posed by rented tools or cramped workspaces – and increased risks. Be sure to read and follow safety guidelines on tools. For many home-based projects, a basic set of well-fitting safety eyewear will provide ample protection from impact. However, consider the hazards specific to the job to determine whether goggles, face shields or even respiratory protection are required, as in the case of high particulate projects like sanding drywall. Encourage workers to keep single-use eyewash bottles on hand to safely flush nuisance irritants such as dust and sand.

Chemical hazards
Be aware that many everyday household products are hazardous, especially when they make contact with the eyes. When using strong solvents and detergents, wearing safety goggles is recommended. Designed to provide complete protection from liquid splash and airborne particles, chemical goggles protect by creating a close seal around the eyes—something standard safety spectacles do not provide. Never mix cleaning agents, and read and follow all manufacturer instructions and warning labels. Many labels include instructions for flushing the eyes in case of emergency; if a product whose label references a 15-minute flushing requirement comes in contact with the eye, it may be necessary to seek medical attention.

Selecting off-the-job safety eyewear

Studies show that individuals are less likely to wear protective eyewear when it does not fit properly, is uncomfortable or causes even minor vision distortion. Fortunately, a broad array of protective eyewear styles, sizes and colors is available today to meet the safety and comfort needs of every individual.

By raising awareness for the many options available, safety managers can help individuals find the protective eyewear that works for them – and improve eye safety both on and off the job. Companies that recognize the value of home safety as an extension of their overall safety culture can benefit from conducting workplace training on home safety and even offering safety equipment for use at home.

Like the workplace, home is not necessarily a safe haven for our eyes. Consider your workers’ safety both on and off the job to help keep overall injuries and health-care costs down, keep productivity up and empower employees to live within a culture of safety everywhere they go.

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What are UV ultraviolet light and VLT visual light transmission?

uvexweb — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:32:37 +0000

There are three categories of UV light: UVA, UVB, and UVC. The primary source of UV light is the sun. Other sources include welding arcs, video display terminals, fluorescent lighting, and mercury vapor lamps. UV light is harmful because it can be absorbed by the eye. In large doses or through repeated exposure, it can lead to cataracts or permanent eye damage. UV inhibitors are mixed into the polycarbonate material when the protective lenses are molded to screen 99.9% of all UV radiation, even in clear tints.

All lenses have a visual light transmission rating or VLT. Visual light transmission is the amount of visible light that can pass through a lens. For example, a lens with a VLT of 12% allows roughly 12% of light to penetrate the lens (and, therefore, blocks 88% of visible light).

Outdoor injuries from ultraviolet (UV) light can be prevented by wearing sunglasses that block ultraviolet (UV) rays and by wearing broad-brimmed hats. Be aware that the eye can be injured from sun glare while boating, Lens Materials sunbathing, or skiing. Use eye protection while you are under tanning lamps or using tanning booths. You should be on the lookout for lenses that absorb > 99.9% of UVA and UVB radiation up to 385nm. Some tinted styles protect up to > 400nm. And in case you were worried about solargenerated UVC, it is not a direct threat because the ozone layer absorbs virtually all of these rays. For a summary of what products cover which set of circumstances, visit the Uvex Lens technology page

Learn More:

The Guide to Eye and Face Protection
Like many others, you probably take your eyes for granted. But imagine what would happen if you suddenly lost your vision or had an accident where your eyesight became dramatically diminished. Some people would say that if they’re lucky, then they will never have to worry about it. Uvex thinks there’s more to it than just luck, that’s why we have written this guide which will answer many basic questions, as well as some you may have never even thought to ask.
Download the Guide to Eye and Face Protection

Lens Tint Reference Guide
Providing truly functional eyewear is becoming a much more specialized task, particularly as the specifics of various jobs are analyzed across many industries and market segments. Impact protection, while certainly a vital requirement, is no longer the sole function of protective eyewear. Fit, comfort, style and through the use of specialized lens tints all contribute to a total package that addresses workplace hazards as well as compliance issues faced by the safety professional.
Download The Lens Tint Reference Guide

Baby boomers & the need for prescription safety eyewear

uvexweb — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 08:55:16 +0000

Today, our nation’s workforce is comprised of the highest percentage of workers aged 55 and older since the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) began reporting labor force data in 1948. Furthermore, the BLS projects that more than 90 percent of all growth in the U.S. labor force from 2006 to 2016 will be workers aged 55 and older. Baby boomers are living longer and working longer, dramatically altering the face of U.S. worker demographics. As the workforce changes, the ways that we protect it must change as well.

In a recent study of 137 North American safety directors*, nearly all recognized a growing need for prescription eyewear among workers. According to The Vision Council, 70 percent of workers today require vision correction, and that number is on the rise. The leading reason behind this trend is the rapidly expanding population of Baby Boomers in the workplace.

Like everyone, boomers rely on their eyes as their primary means of experiencing the world — and making a living. Clear vision also plays a vital role in helping to keep individuals out of harm’s way among workplace hazards. Safety managers need to know how to protect workers as they experience reduced visual capacity.

Read the complete article in ISHN magazine

* Honeywell Rx Safety Eyewear Market Study, April 2011.

Eye Safety Poll Results: How do you address eye safety for workers who require vision correction on the job?

uvexweb — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 13:57:31 +0000

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Wearing Protective Eyewear Outside the Workplace

uvexweb — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 14:02:12 +0000

Can you wear protective eyewear around the house, or at least when you are working around the house?

Believe it or not, approximately one million eye injuries occur each year in the United States. And according to the US Eye Injury Registry , 43% occur within the home. Here’s a chart from the American Academy of Ophthalmology (www.aao.org) that encapsulates homeinjury scenarios and offers suggestions on prevention.

In the house. When using household chemicals, read instructions and labels carefully, work in a wellventilated area and make sure to point spray nozzles away from you.
In the workshop.Wear protective eyewear to shield your eyes from flying fragments, fumes, dust particles, sparks, and splashing chemicals. Many objects can fly into your eyes unexpectedly and cause injury.
In the garden. Put on protective eyewear before you use a lawnmower, power trimmer, or edger and be sure to check for rocks and stones because they can become dangerous projectiles when propelled from these machines.
Around the car. Battery acid, sparks, and debris from damaged or improperly jump-started auto batteries can severely damage your eyes. Keep protective goggles in the trunk of your car to use for those emergencies and everyday repairs.

For more information You can go to all of the organizations listed below or download the Guide to Eye and face Protection.

In addition, Prevent Blindness America sponsors the Wise Owl Program , which has recognized more than 84,000 people in the US whose sight was saved in an accident because they wore eye protection. It is a safety-education program designed to promote the widespread use of approved protective eyewear that meets ANSI Z87 industrial or ASTM sports standards. The info center number is 800-331-2020.

Sources and resources:

www.aao.org American Academy of Ophthalmology; 415-561-8500
www.ansi.org ANSI, American National Standards Institute; 212-642-4980
www.bls.gov Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Department of Labor; 202-691-5200
www.cdc.gov CDC, Center for Disease Control and Prevention; 800-311-3435
www.nei.nih.gov National Eye Institute; 301-496-5248
www.osha.gov OSHA, Occupational Safety & Health Administration; 800-321-6742
www.preventblindness.org Prevent Blindness America; 800-331-2020
www.useironline.org United States Eye Injury Registry; 205-933-0064

Building A Culture Of Safety

uvexweb — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:25:57 +0000

Imagine for a moment that you are a safety professional employed by a construction or manufacturing firm. In response to rising injury rates, the management decides to initiate one of two new safety programs. Here are the alternatives:

1. Workers receive a single type of personal protective equipment, or PPE, and perfunctory training in its use. And that’s it—from that point forward, management’s only real involvement with the safety program is to occasionally mete out punishment to negligent employees caught shirking their safety duties, usually only after an injury has occurred.

2. Management performs a safety audit of the work environment, examining individual workplace hazards and interviewing the workers who know them best to devise a safety goal. Workers receive appropriate PPE, training in its proper use, and feedback on their success in pursuing the safety objective. The company rewards the proper use of their PPE and celebrates workers’ success in preventing injury.

Which program would you prefer? Which do you think would be most successful in creating a safer workplace? Presented like this, the second alternative is clearly preferable. And yet, the conditions described in the first alternative are shockingly common in modern workplaces.

The second program above describes the first steps to creating a culture of safety, and while it may sound more costly and time-consuming than the first alternative, studies have shown that this type of program can be cost effective as well as humanitarian. In a recent survey, over 90% of safety officers strongly agreed with the statement, “Companies with strong safety cultures stand a much better chance of reducing workplace incidents than those who don’t.” By building a culture of safety in your business, you can minimize expensive injuries and maintain a safer, happier workforce.

A Whole New Philosophy

The culture of safety is not just a new set of rules; it is a new philosophy of preventing injury in the workplace. A safety expert, E. Scott Geller, writes, while Engineering and Education are still “appropriate and critically important…we need to replace the third ‘E’ word of traditional safety—Enforcement—with another—Empowerment.” In a culture of safety, safe behavior is not something the boss makes you do; it is a vital part of your job. An unsafe worker is an incompetent worker, while a safety-conscious employee is good at what he does. When safety standards are internalized, employees can police their own safety much more effectively and thoroughly than an authority figure. As one safety professional put it, having a culture of safety means “having people work safely when nobody is looking.”

Communication Is The Key

The key throughout the entire process of creating a culture of safety is enhanced communication between workers and management. Often, this means opening up new lines for the exchange of information and making sure everyone feels comfortable sharing ideas and concerns about safety. This is the foundation for your new safety culture. If you want them to participate, employees need to see that things have changed. Safety is no longer something defined and enforced by the management; rather, safety is the right and responsibility of every employee. Management should keep an open ear for employee suggestions and observations, and clearly communicate information on safety goals, progress updates, and appropriate feedback. Through improved communication, you can empower your employees and give them a feeling of ownership in the safety process.

Let’s examine the process of instituting a program designed to cut injury rates and foster a culture of safety:

Setting A Zero-Incident Objective

In a traditional safety program, a typical firm might set “no accidents” as a goal, and a “days since last injury” sign may be the only feedback to employees. This system is ineffective for a couple of reasons: it focuses on the negative, attracting attention only when “someone screws up” and the count is rolled back to 0; and it robs employees of self-efficacy, the feeling that they are doing something to keep themselves and their co-workers safe. To be effective, a safety program should set a specific, measurable goal that employees can work towards. If workers receive praise for their contribution rather than punishment for their slip-ups, they will be more likely to play an active role in maintaining a safe work environment.

To set a successful safety goal, identify a trouble spot in your work process and focus on ways to correct the situation. Your goal could be to maintain a cleaner workspace, or to reduce eye injuries through proper usage of safety eyewear. While looking for a behavior to target, you should gather data from a variety of sources; safety records, walkthroughs to identify potential hazards, and interviews with employees can all be valuable resources.

The Right Tools For The Job

Once goal has been identified and announced, the training and education phase can begin. Managers should explain both what changes expected are from the employees, and how these changes will lead to a safer workplace.

For example, consider a goal to reduce eye injuries among one group of workers. Suppose research reveals that these employees have protective eyewear, but are not wearing it. In this case, a solution could be as simple as providing employees with proper PPE. By partnering with an industry leader with the expertise to solve problems like this one, you can ensure your employees have the right PPE for the hazards they face.

If an employee experiences broad shifts in temperature or humidity, he should select eyewear with an anti-fog coating, so his goggles stay clear and on his face. If the work environment is brightly lit, eyewear should be treated to block UV radiation and tinted to cut glare. Finally, employees are more likely to wear eye protection that feels good and looks good, so eyewear should be as comfortable and stylish as possible. Modern eyewear offers a solution, with wraparound designs in a wide variety of colors and styles.

Feedback, Feedback, Feedback

Now comes the final step: feedback. Studies of culture of safety initiatives have shown detailed, timely feedback to be the single most important aspect of increasing long term participation. Depending on the type of program, feedback could come in the form of posted results, group announcements, or direct verbal evaluation.

In many workplaces, the most common form of safety feedback is punishment. While punishment—in the form of reprimands, fines, or other penalties—can be very effective at decreasing unwanted behavior, it often has other, negative consequences as well. It can breed resentment and anger, threatening the clear communication that is so vital to safety culture. If an employee is given only negative feedback, he may not have an alternative behavior available to replace his unsafe habit, and improvement will be impossible. Punishment still has its place, but it should be applied rapidly, consistently, and sparingly.

More important is reinforcement of positive, safe behaviors. Interestingly, small tokens of appreciation have been shown to be more effective than larger rewards in increasing compliance. When positive feedback is moderate and personal, employees know that they are not being safe to earn extra cash—they are being safe because they want to be safe.

Your Own Culture Of Safety

Clearly, the type of program outlined here will require an investment of time and resources—surveys must be conducted, new equipment must be purchased, and employees must be trained and given feedback within the new system. But the most important change brought about by the program isn’t a shift in equipment or procedure. It is something more subtle, something small you can start today: a new attitude with regards to workplace safety. As E. Scott Geller puts it, in a culture of safety, “Safety is not an extra or separate aspect of a job. It is essential and integrated into every component of the operation.” When every employee in your firm can agree with that statement, a culture of safety has been established, and you are on your way to safer employees and higher profits.

[1] “Role of occupational eye protection in building a culture of safety.” Uvex® Industry research. Survey of 300 safety directors in the US and Canada. (c) 2009

Understanding U.S. Government Regulations

uvexweb — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 13:18:50 +0000

On December 29^th, 1970, President Richard Nixon signed the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This landmark bill created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, a regulatory body whose mission is to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses by creating and enforcing standards for workplace safety and health, including directed references to standards for Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE.

OSHA sets policies for implementing inspection programs to identify and mitigate workplace hazards, and provides guidelines on enforcement policy. While it is vital for safety professionals to be familiar with the regulations set down by OSHA, it is equally important to be aware of circumstances in which PPE may need to go above and beyond the referenced standards.

Letter of the Law

For federal regulations dealing with PPE, 29 CFR 1910, Subpart 1, is the relevant OSHA guidance document for general industry. Section 1910.133 specifically addresses Eye & Face protection:

“The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation. Such equipment shall be durable, fit properly and be reasonably comfortable.”

While OSHA regulations establish a firm’s responsibility to protect its employees, they do not detail the specific performance requirements that PPE must meet; i.e. what impact force a lens should withstand, or how much UV radiation it should absorb. Rather, they cite recognized product standards, which in the case of eye and face protection is ANSI Z87.1. The American National Standards Institute, or ANSI, is an independent, non-profit agency that adopts consensus standards which set minimum product performance requirements.

All ANSI standards are updated periodically, and Z87.1 was most recently revised in 2010. Companies generally demand PPE products that are up to the latest Z87.1 standard. Producers of PPE, keen to stay on top of the competition, stick to the latest version as well. All products offered as compliant will be marked with the manufacturer’s mark and Z87 as described in the standard.

Brace For Impact

Z87 is a performance based standard, addressing the primary hazards of heat, chemical splash, dust, optical radiation and, very importantly, impact. Impact resistance is a priority with good reason: OSHA estimates that 70% of eye-related incidents are caused by flying objects or particles striking the eye.

Two levels of impact resistance are defined: products labeled Z87 that provide a minimum level of impact resistance, and high-impact products, labeled Z87+, that provide elevated protection against high mass and high velocity projectiles.

(Note: Companies seeking more assurance against impact from their eyewear should look for products that meet the US Military’s MIL V₀ standard, which provides resistance against shrapnel-like particles moving at speeds of at least 650 feet per second—projectiles that deliver seven times the energy of those used to test for the Z87+ standard.)

Other Hazards, Other Rules

Z87.1-2010 now defines requirements for eyewear offering protection against chemical splash and dust, and also provides guidance on the applicable product categories. Test methods have been defined and products in conformance will carry specific markings.

OSHA gives explicit requirements with regard to “injurious light radiation”—for example filters to block the ultraviolet and infrared radiation produced by welding and other industrial processes. A listing of the appropriate shade rating for injurious radiation sources can be found under OSHA regulation 1910.133(a)(5), accessible online at at osha.gov. Z87.1-2010 provides information on lens filters and markings reflective of the radiation type and protection level.

Penalties, Legal & Otherwise

OSHA regulations clearly reference product performance standards, and the consequences for violating them can be severe. Violators can be fined up to $70,000, and a willful violation that results in the death of a worker can lead not only to a hefty fine, but potentially a jail sentence for the responsible party. On top of these legal penalties, one must remember the financial burden that accompanies all injuries. Huge costs can mount in lost time, damaged equipment and increased insurance premiums.

Conclusion: Above & Beyond

In summary, OSHA has created regulations pertaining to hazard identification and requires that employees be provided with appropriate PPE. Section 1910.133 of 20 CFR 1910 defines specific requirements for eye and face protection. This equipment shall be in conformance with ANSI Z87.1 which is incorporated by reference, effectively giving it the weight of law. The most recent edition of Z87.1, just released in 2010, is hazard based, and covers the performance and marking requirements for compliant PPE. Manufacturers are a valuable source of information and their products will meet, and often exceed, minimum requirements.

Eye Safety Survey Results: What is the most common complaint workers have about safety eyewear?

uvexweb — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 20:35:31 +0000

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