The labor-intensive nature of the up, down and midstream segments of the petroleum industry has created some well-established safety protocols. This is true in the area of eye protection. While choosing safety eyewear that meets the requirements of the relevant standards (ANSI/ISEA), employers can do more to protect workers' eyes.
According to OSHA, thousands of people are blinded each year by preventable work-related eye injuries. Eye injuries alone cost over $300 million annually in lost production, medical expenses and worker compensation.
Manufacturers of safety eyewear meeting ANSI/ISEA requirements must provide proof of protection against hazards, including optical radiation, impact and coverage, droplets and splash, and dust.
The simple solution for petroleum businesses may be to select protective eyewear that meets or exceeds the ANSI/ISEA standard, but as a manufacturer of safety eyewear, Bollé Safety presents other factors to consider.
Bollé Safety provides eyewear solutions designed to provide full eye protection, enhance long-term eye health and increase productivity. Meeting the provisions set forth by ANSI/ISEA is both an imperative and a starting point for its products.
Too often, workers provided with safety glasses fail to wear them at appropriate times. Although common sense dictates and statistics prove safety glasses are effective at preventing eye injuries, a Bureau of Labor study found that 60 percent of injured workers were not wearing eye protection at the time of an accident.
Fogging has been identified as a persistent issue for petroleum industry workers and as a primary reason employees often fail to wear protective eyewear. In fact, fogging has been named the No. 1 vision-related reason for not wearing safety glasses. The issue tends to be exacerbated by the foam-sealed frames (standard on some Bollé Safety models, optional on others) favored in this industry.
Borrowing expertise developed and perfected for Bollé's popular snow-sport goggles, several Bollé Safety models are available with a removable foam kit that provides -- when needed -- the requisite protection from airborne particles and the level of comfort necessary for all-day use. And while the solution seems easy and obvious, there has always been a very high hurdle to clear in getting workers in some industries and climates to wear safety eyewear with foam barriers.
Although distortion-free vision is important to workers in most industries, the complexity of many petroleum-related tasks makes optical clarity an absolute necessity. In the work settings common to this industry, glare resulting from reflected light can become a serious problem. The most effective solution, the polarized lens, is available with many Bollé Safety models.
Given the broad nature of the applicable standards, it's easy to assume purchasing protective eyewear that meets the requirements is the only consideration. In some instances, that may be the case, but it's also important to consider issues like fogging and glare not specifically addressed by ANSI/ISEA. That's the Bollé Safety approach, and it's what makes the company a great choice for this industry.
For more information, visit www.bollesafety-usa.com or call (800) 262- 7306.
