4 Hazards That Eye and Face Protection Measures Should Address
Some inexperienced hobbyists may not know the most appropriate eye and face safety equipment that they should select in order to address the specific safety risks that their DIY projects entail. This article discusses some of the common hazards that one must consider when selecting the most appropriate eye and face safety equipment:
Objects Striking Your Eyes
Some projects, such as grinding, hammering and chiseling, may cause small objects to detach from the work-piece and strike your eyes and face. The essential safety measures that you take should, therefore, be targeted at protecting you from such objects during your project. For instance, protection goggles may not provide sufficient protection from tiny flying objects because they leave some gaps around the eyes. Face shields would provide better protection in such a case.
Radiation and Thermal Hazards
Your eyes could also be exposed to ultra violet radiation, glare, heat and infrared radiation. The protection measures that you take when such risks are present may vary from the measures needed for other types of eye and face hazards. For instance, a welding mask can provide ample protection to your eyes from the glare of the light coming from a welding torch. Safety goggles that are rated for the different kinds of risks, such as UV radiation, can also work. The projects where radiation and thermal protection measures are needed for your eyes and face include working around furnaces, welding and metal cutting.
Swinging Objects
Larger objects can also swing and injure your face and eyes during a DIY project. Those objects could be swinging cables, ropes or chains. Tools can also fall and cause eye and face injuries. A face shield can give you better protection from such hazards when compared with other protective equipment, such as goggles that leave some parts of your face exposed.
Contact with Chemicals
Chemicals in the form of powders, mists, gases and vapours can harm your eyes and face if you didn't implement the appropriate safety measures during the project. Goggles are one of the best forms of personal protective equipment that you can use to protect your eyes from such hazards. However, you may need to use them together with another device so that your entire face is protected.
As you can see, the essential safety measures that you select should be tailored to address the particular hazards that you have identified. It is therefore important for you to conduct a risk assessment before you embark on any project. That assessment will help you to take the necessary steps to protect your face and eyes from the possible risks.
