The U. S. Department of Health & Human Services is concerned with the occupational health of our country’s workforce and they have good reason to be. The department has established the North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week—celebrated the first week in May every year.
Thousands of organizations come together to raise awareness of illnesses and injuries that occur at work every year and, more importantly, how to avoid them. By far and away, employees rank workplace safety as the number one priority they expect from their employer.
Employers agree and also place a high priority on workplace safety. This rises above other priorities such as overtime pay, unionizing, family or maternity leave, and even minimum wage according to the research. The bottom line is that employees have to feel safe at work.
One of the most overlooked (pun intended) focuses concerning safe workspaces is the potential for eye injuries. When it comes to protecting the eyes of employees, many employers only consider the eyes themselves.
Therefore, many are content to provide eye protection for the job at hand and call it a day. However, there are several other factors that may be putting employees’ eyes at risk beyond just lack of protection.
For example, environmental conditions like inadequate lighting or poor ventilation are conditions that may lead to eye injury. Improving the environment can lead to greater safety and fewer mistakes.
With over 800,000 eye injuries on the job every year, an extremely high percentage of these injuries can be prevented with proper protection and protocols in place. Not only is the reputation of employers at stake, but so is the bottom line.
Most eye injuries that occur at work result in days away from work following the injury. This means lost productivity, lower income, and higher insurance premiums. Employers are wise to guard against eye injuries and the accusation of negligence by focusing on the eye safety of their employees.
Employers can celebrate NAOSH Week by providing paid time off to receive a comprehensive eye exam or even providing an exam as an added benefit.
To schedule your exams, call Palmetto Eye & Laser Center today at 864-583-6381 or contact our friendly and knowledgeable staff online for more information on keeping your employees’ eyes safe at work!
