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Posted By Tim MFH
Do any members have a policy on the wearing of contact lenses? This came up when one of our engineers working on a clients site declared he wore contacts and asked if there is a site policy. Neither our company nor the client have considered this previously in risk assessments! The engineer has prescription spectacles and has been asked to wear these meantime.
Initial investigation favours contact lenses not being suitable for some working environments, e.g. dust, arc welding, even with other control measures, including correct face and eye protection measures.
Any advice would be most welcome
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Posted By seanie
Tim,
as he is an engineer, surely safety glasses should be used?
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Posted By Tim MFH
thanks seanie,
Yes the engineer would be issued with non prescription safety glasses (or other eye / face protection as per risk assessment) which would be worn in conjunction with the contact lenses.
Does anyone have information regarding an increased risk for particular tasks when the engineer uses contact lenses which would need to be written into a policy?
There doesn't seem to be much in the way of guidance within the UK on this subject
Thanks - Tim
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Posted By seanc
Tim
i used to work for Otis elevators, if an engineer wore glasses they were sent to an optician who provided safety glasses including the lenses they needed, and every year they would have another eye test, and if necessary new glasses would be issued free of charge
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Posted By Dave Merchant The idea that contact lenses can be heated by UV light from arc welding, or by sub-ICNIRP exposure levels of microwave/radio energy, is a complete urban myth and HSE have squashed it completely: http://www.hse.gov.uk/fod/infodocs/668_21.pdfYes there are some situations where contacts could make something more difficult (to irrigate an eye after a chemical splash, etc.) but that's the job of safety goggles - you don't plan your policy based on what happens after someone's injured, and wearing contacts has no bearing on the likelihood of the splash in the first place. Indeed many users of eye protection / SCBA are happier using contacts, as the prescription lenses for masks and goggles are expensive, can distort your stereo field, and are often not available for the cheaper ranges of PPE. In a location where safety glasses/goggles would not be worn, imposing a company policy on the choice of essential personal medical devices (which is what they are) strays deep into DRA and HRA territory - don't even think about it.
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Posted By Jay Joshi The "myth" concerning the dangers associated with wearing contact lenses in a chemical environment has been largely countered, amongst several professional bodies, the American Chemical Society (ACS). The ACS, because of the ever-increasing use of contact lenses and the benefits they provide, have studied and reviewed the issue. The ACS 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. All details at:- http://pubs.acs.org/cen/safety/19980601.htmlThere are more details in an article, "Contact Lenses And Chemicals," by Segal, Eileen B., Chemical Health & Safety, American Chemical Society, May/June 1997. There are several more credible / relaible / authentic sources of information on Contact Lenses & Chemicals/use in industry:- "Current Intelligence Bulletin 59: Contact Lens Use in a Chemical Environment," NIOSH, 2005. www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2005-139/"The Use of Contact Lenses in an Industrial Environment," American College of Occupational and Environmental, 2003. http://www.acoem.org/guidelines.aspx?id=570"Contact Lens Wear," American Welding Society, 1995. http://files.aws.org/technical/facts/FACT-12.pdfContact Lenses in a Chemical Environment by Barry R. Weissman, • October 2005 www.ohsonline.com/articles/44929/
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