Eye Injuries on the Jobsite Can Ruin Your Life

There is no shortage of ways to get injured on a jobsite. With falling debris, moving machinery, spinning blades, nail guns, flimsy ladders and scaffolding, and the ever-present danger of falling, workers must continually be on the lookout for their own safety.

But in terms of vulnerability, there is no part of your body that is in more danger than your eyes. And in terms of an injury that can have permanent consequences, an eye injury is something that can truly keep you from providing for yourself and your family. And there is no other job where an eye injury can happen at any time than on the construction site. Nails, bolts, pieces of wire and tiny bits of metal fly through the air with impunity. Cement mixing, welding and sawing fills the air with grit and dust. Arc welders produce chemical fumes. Eye injuries or blindness are a constant risk on any job site.

Protecting your eyes is incredibly important, and according to OSHA, eye protection must be provided for you by your employer. Any contractor or foreman who says that you are responsible for your own eye protection is completely in violation of federal guidelines.

You should always wear glasses if your work will involve any chemicals or if you are doing overhead work. If you are working with chemicals that splash, sandblasting, or welding, you should also wear a clear plastic face shield.

Your safety goggles should be up to the current standards and are not expensive. Currently, any safety eyewear must be marked with the inscription ANSI Z87. This shows that the goggles meet the approval of the American National Standards Institute, which is responsible for inspecting the quality of safety eyewear.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has provided general guidelines about how workers should handle eye injuries. A fan could be used to blow away things which could irritate the eye and there should be a specific area where employees can go to wash out their eye. If you were hit in the eye with an object, do not do anything except for getting medical treatment. This is also true for injuries that puncture or cut the eye. Instead, hold a cold compress over the eye to keep the pain and swelling down. This can be made by putting ice cubes in a plastic bag or clean cloth.

You should also speak to a lawyer who knows the specifics of construction law and who can investigate the cause of your accident in order to determine if you have a workers’ compensation or personal injury claim. This can give you peace of mind during the recovery process and can help you understand your options.

At Klemick and Gampel, P.A. we take construction accidents very seriously, and we fight for the fair compensation of those who have been injured on the job site. While you might be able to recover from a broken arm or a sprained back, an eye injury could cause irrevocable damage to your life and your ability to make a living. Eye injuries can result in loss of vision and these injuries plague about 5,500 construction workers in the United States every year. If you or a loved one has suffered an eye injury while on the job, the Miami attorneys at Klemick and Gampel will fight for a level of compensation that will be commensurate with your pain, suffering, loss of future income and emotional pain. Call today to schedule a free consultation!