Tool Box Topics: April 2012
Tool Box Topics is a monthly “news letter” distributed to all Koberlein employees based on the discussions from the Safety Committee. This month the Safety Committee addressed issues involving eyesight and eye protection.
KOBERLEIN – TOOL BOX TOPICS
EYE PROTECTION: PRESERVE YOUR VISION
This Tool Box Topic requires some effort on your part! Everyone has a homework task, but don’t panic, this homework assignment is a piece of cake!
On your way home today and when you get home, spend the evening observing the many beautiful things in this world! For just one evening, stop taking your eyesight for granted! Consider the following:
As you leave the shop today, look up, down and all around, observing the beauty around you. See the clouds in the sky, the many shades of new leaves in the trees, and the different birds that occupy them. When you get home , watch your children playing in the yard and pay attention to how their eyes light up when Daddy or Mommy gets home.
Have you ever stopped to think how wonderful your eyesight real is? Well, think about it. For about two minutes tonight at home, close your eyes completely and contemplated how life would be if you lost your eyesight! That’s it- your homework is complete! Did you come up with visions about how your life would change if you couldn’t see? Did they include any of the following?
When you and your family are on vacation, they will have to describe the scenery to you.
You would have to be led wherever you want to go.
Your spouse would have to describe the way your children’s eyes light up when they open their presents at Christmas.
No more leisurely activities such as hunting or fishing, watching movies or TV.
No more driving your truck, car or 4 wheeler. No more demo derbies!
Does this sound like something you want to go through? Is there a way to prevent this from happening? You bet- wear eye protection! A recent article in Safety & Health states that every day approximately 1,000 eye injuries occur in the U.S. OSHA estimates that 90% of eye injuries are preventable through the proper use of safety eye wear. What does this tell us? Many people are not wearing proper eye protection! Let’s examine a few of our operations that present eye hazards:
Grinding, hammering, chiseling, wood working or any other activity that might cause large fragments or small particles to fly through the air and into the eyes;
Painting, spraying, sanding, sand blasting, metal working, spot welding or any process that may cause dust, fumes, or tiny particulate to become airborne;
Work tasks such as working in a maintenance shop (especially laying on your back looking up under a vehicle), pumping liquid waste, any type of welding and cutting with a torch or chainsaw, any operations around radiant energy or intense heat, using either a jetter or pressure washer;
Operations such as handling acids and caustics, and any cleaning fluids or solutions.
Your eyesight is a precious gift. Please do not wait until it’s too late to realize that you need to wear eye protection. Also have eye protection with you. When your daily work presents exposure to eye hazards, wear you eye protection if you don’t have any eye protection, please ask for some.
Please don’t take chances. Open your eyes and protect your vision!