Workplaces around the world require employees to wear safety glasses. August 18 2017

If you work in a fairly low-key industry that doesn’t seem like any threats would be posed to your eyes, you might have wondered a time or two why you need to wear them. Before you start your strike against safety glasses, pull them off, and throw them in the trash, just keep in mind that, although you might not physically see it or be aware of it, there could be a number of very valid reasons why the boss wants you to keep them on.

Foreign Objects

Safety glasses are not much unlike safety goggles in the sense that they help keep out any foreign objects. However, while they are keeping your eyes free of dust particles, glass, and other harmful material, they feel just like regular glasses. They allow you to continue working without having to wear bulky goggles that might actually intrude your vision. Projectile objects, regardless of how tiny or soft, can become lodged in your eye and cause damage. If you are wearing safety glasses, they will act as a barrier between that object and your precious eye.

Cross Contamination

Can you think of all the times throughout the day when you touch things? What about when you touch your eyes? Most people don’t even think about that. They just go about their business without giving it any consideration. When you work in an environment where there is dust, chemicals, or any harmful substance that you touch, it’s necessary for you to constantly wash your hands to prevent cross contamination. However, wearing safety equipment can help keep your bare hands away. In all likelihood, you probably don’t even think about it when you touch your eyes. If you get an itch, you’re going to scratch it. Unfortunately, everything you’ve touched prior to scratching your eye will be transferred to it. Now, any contaminants that have gathered on your hand are in your eye. At the very least, safety glasses will remind you not to touch your eyes.

Your eyes are precious and extremely fragile and sensitive. The tiniest particle of dust, unseen gases, and the most innocent action of scratching your eye could lead to injuries. Wearing safety glasses can help protect your eyes against the seen and unseen so that you can continue seeing. The barrier they create will allow you to complete your workday safely and effectively. No matter how soft or small an object is, it can harm your eyes, gases that are allowed to escape and/or that put off fumes can irritate unprotected eyes, and touching your eye for even a split second can transfer contaminants to it. Wearing your safety equipment can help prevent all of this.