Winter eye safety is just as important as preventing UV exposure in summer…According to the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks, outdoor workers are three times more likely to develop certain eye conditions than indoor employees. This is because professionals who work outdoors spend an average of 6 hours per day under direct sunlight. Which, in turn, results in too much exposure to UV rays.
Although the sun might be less visible in winter, it is still present and is not less harmful.
In fact, UVA rays remain constant throughout the year and can pass through clouds and windows.
Excessive amounts of UV radiation can cause different health problems, with eyesight conditions being among the most common. Not only this, those outdoor employees that work close to reflective surfaces are also exposed to glare. Glare is a UV radiation that bounces off water, sand and other reflectors, then enters the eyes. These rays intensify the impact on the ocular system, which in turn may produce a permanent loss of vision and other serious effects.
Workers at offshore oil rigs, shipbuilding and marine construction are exposed to huge amounts of direct sunlight as well as glare from the water and metal structure itself.
Workers at open-cut mines can experience long-term damage due to UV radiation, but are also at a high risk of suffering blunt trauma to the eye.
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The good news is that 90% of eye accidents that happen in the workplace can be prevented through protective equipment. By implementing safety PPE like polarised safety glasses that have a polarised finish, companies can protect their teams and reduce the chances of a workplace accident across the board.
Polarised safety glasses are one of the ways to protect against the negative effects of UV radiation and provide PPE in compliance with occupation health & safety policy. Not only polarised lens reduces light transmission but also combats the glare, increases visual clarity and contrast, and reduces eyestrain.
Bollé Safety has extended its popular TRYON range of safety glasses to include new polarised version. TRYON Polarised offers a good balance of style and performance with anti-scratch coating for the polycarbonate lenses, co-injected 160° Flex technology (for the temple arms), and a non-slip adjustable bridge.
All Bollé Safety’s polarised lenses are injection moulded. The optically precise polarising film is embedded into the lens ensuring it won’t wear or scratch off the lens. The company’s polarised lenses provide optical quality and 99.99% protection against UVA/UVB, solar radiation and impacts. The product is certified to ASNZS 1337.1:2010 for Medium Impact.
In order to create a safe environment for all workers, companies have to consider the impact of UV radiation and find effective ways to combat this type of light without reducing the team’s visibility or productivity even during winter months.
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