Posted By cara
My opinion would be the company definitely for not provide suitable eye protection for the job in the first place!

Posted By J Knight
I'd guess there might be a civil liability here, supported by breach of statutory duty. But as always the problem with civils is that the only way to compel payment is court.

Pretty sure there is no statutory duty to pay for collateral damage caused by arguably inadequate PPE, but IANAL and there are people posting here who know a lot more about the law than me...

John

Posted By Glyn Atkinson
Pardon me for seeming harsh in this reply, but what good are goggles if the "corrosive" liquid splashes the face and skin?

Yes, no blindness, hopefully, but facial scarring of any description would be for life.

Can this liquid then get inside the clothing to burn the body?

Why is it being poured / moved above eye level anyway?

Is a chemical suit and some form of mechanical tipping device that isolates the worker required? Can this process be done at a distance through a mechanical tipper system?

The full activity required a back to basics risk assessment for ALL possible workers, not just someone wearing contact lenses.

Would you wear lenses if there was a risk of them plasticising to your cornea and causing blindness that way?

Many questions to be answered, but yes, I would be looking for monetary compensation for losses incurred if it were me claiming, especially where no proper assessment or safe working method were in place, and I think that any good solicitor would get that and more back in compensation.

Posted By Descarte
Checmial was being pumped from an road tanker to a 100litre IBC via pump on the lorry. Pump bleched at the end and this resulted in a splash from the IBC. Safety glasses and coveralls are standard PPE for the production yard, however this is to be revised for these tasks to include a requirement for safety goggles to be worn.

We had a related incident in the US where an employee was doing a similar task whilst wearing a face shield, the cheical splash hit his chest and splashed up behind the face shield.

The pH of the liquid was 9-12 as stated on the MSDS im not sure that this would cause instant burns and scaring to the skin before he would have time to reach one of the many safet yshowers in the area, however I would prefer more so not to get it in my eye.

COSHH and risk assessments had been performed on this and all yard activities and had determined that safety glasses would have been sufficient in the supervising of a offload. The person was not handling or tipping any chemicals or materials. Obviously this is being revised so that this task requires use of goggles.

Thank you for your concern and bikery Glyn, our risk assessments do cover all possible workers involved in the activites and have been revised. And we do have proper assessments and safe systems of work in place.

The comment as well about the risks of wearing contacts lenses and chemicals is also unfounded, and in this case may have even prevent damage from occuring.

That aside I am very greatful for the constructive and helpful responses and I will advise this employee myself to seek re-imbursment for the damage to his belongs to which he recieved (though he did not receive any physical damage apart from some slight discomfort and a 3hour wait in A&E)

Thanks

Des

Posted By Bennie
If there is any potential for chemical splash, then contact lenses should not be worn in the workplace.

Reasons? If the contact lense does not melt onto the iris - causing severe damage, the act of irrigation may not remove any residue from behind the lense - again leading to damage.

Come on - losing ones sight must be horrendous!!

A fairly accurate risk assessment would surely highlight these dangers.

Pay up and count yourself lucky you are only paying for the claim of the lenses. also ensure this is taken on board for anyone else who may be affected.

Bennie

Posted By Jay Joshi
The "myth" concerning the dangers associated with wearing contact lenses in a chemical environment has been largely countered by :-


http://pubs.acs.org/cen/safety/19980601.html


http://pubs.acs.org/hota.../chas/97/mayjun/con.html


Through a number of editions of "Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories," the American Chemical Society Joint Board-Council Committee on Chemical Safety has recommended that contact lenses not be worn in the chemical laboratory. For several years, the Committee on Chemical Safety, through its subcommittees, and the Division of Chemical Health & Safety, through symposia and the magazine Chemical Health & Safety, have been studying the wearing of contact lenses in the chemical laboratory.

Contrary to the widely held beliefs concerning the dangers associated with wearing contact lenses in a chemical environment, there is no published evidence to support that belief. After detailed studies concerning the use of contact lenses in a chemical environment, the Committee on Chemical Safety has revised its recommendation regarding their use. The new statement will be included in the next and future editions of "Safety in Academic Chemistry Laboratories." Following is the new recommendation on wearing contact lenses in the chemical laboratory, especially the academic laboratory:

"In many workplaces where hazardous chemicals are used or handled, the wearing of contact lenses is prohibited or discouraged. A good number of these prohibitions are traceable to earlier statements in this book that were based on rumors and perceived risks. A careful study of the literature by knowledgeable consultants has refuted these risks. Recent studies and experience have suggested that, in fact, contact lenses do not increase risks but can actually minimize or prevent injury in many situations.

"Because of the ever-increasing use of contact lenses and the benefits they provide, the American Chemical Society Committee on Chemical Safety, having studied and reviewed the issue, is of the consensus that contact lenses can be worn in most work environments provided the same approved eye protection is worn as required of other workers in the area.

"Clearly, the type of eye protection needed depends upon the circumstances. It should be stressed that contact lenses, by themselves, do not provide adequate protection in any environment in which the chance of an accidental splash of a chemical can reasonably be anticipated. Appropriate eye protection in accordance with the Personal Protective Equipment Standard (29 CFR 1910.132 and 133) and ANSI Z87.1a-1991 should always be worn in such situations."