SAFETY
Mechanics requiring prescription glasses can have protective eyewear made that incorporates their prescription into it. They may even use glasses with bifocals built right in.
Mechanics requiring prescription glasses can have protective eyewear made that incorporates their prescription into it. They may even use glasses with bifocals built right in. The NBAA standard states,
“aff ected personnel who wear prescription corrective lenses must be provided with protective eyewear which either incorporates the prescription or may be worn over prescription lenses without disturbing the proper position of the prescription lenses or the protective lenses.” When selecting eyewear, comfort
also must be considered, because Cotti says uncomfortable eyewear will not be worn. Features that can make eyewear more comfortable include anti-fog capabilities, adjustable temple and ear pieces, as well as adjustable nose pieces and padded nose bridges.
MAKE SURE IT’S WORN NBAA denotes the importance of assessing a facility and identifying the hazards that require the use of PPE, including eyewear. Supervisors are then required to select and mandate the use of PPE designed to protect against the identifi ed hazards. “Aff ected personnel, and their immediate supervisors, must be fi tted for and instructed in the proper use and care of selected PPE. All PPE specifi cally required for this policy shall be provided by the department at no cost to the employee,” writes the NBAA.
Cotti states a hazard assessment can help departments develop policies as to when protective eyewear must be worn, and what type of eyewear should be worn. “I would even submit that the maintenance task cards
that manufacturers provide for conducting maintenance, include safety and cautionary notes including eyewear (PPE) that should be worn,” he says. This allows mechanics to select the appropriate eyewear for the task at hand, every time.
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY Eyewash stations must be available throughout a facility to provide fi rst aid when an accident occurs, states Cotti. ANSI Z358.1- 2014 contains provisions regarding the design, certifi cation, performance, installation, use and maintenance of various types of emergency equipment (showers, eyewashes, drench hoses, etc.). As a rule of thumb, ANSI requires
that eyewash stations be installed within 10 seconds of walking time from the location of the hazard, on the same level of the hazard, and in a straight path from the hazard. “The idea is to make them
available to an employee without having them walk through doorways or experience other diffi culty in getting to them,” he says. “When you get chemicals in your eyes, your eyes burn and tear up. You can’t see. You can’t open your eyes. It burns like crazy and in a panic state you need to get to a rinse station as quickly as possible.” Simply providing eyewash stations
isn’t enough, however. ANSI also requires that employees be trained in the location of the equipment and its proper use.
Editor’s Note: NBAA makes its Personal Protective Equipment Policy available to its members. Contact the NBAA at www.
nbaa.org for a copy.
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DOMmagazine.com | aug 2017
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