In many New Jersey workplaces, “begin with safe eyes, finish with safe eyes” is a well-known phrase regarding eye safety. When a person loses their eyesight, life changes dramatically. Therefore, people should do everything possible to ensure that their eyes are completely safe in the workplace. Every day, more than 2,000 American employees incur eye injuries at work.
More than 700,000 eye injuries take place each year. As a result, roughly a million American workers have incurred work-related problems with their eyesight. Eyesight problems cost employers more than $934 million per year due to losing good workers and paying for medical expenses. Employees can face eye injuries while working indoors and outdoors. Furthermore, a worker employed in any occupation risks having a serious eye injury. Employees also risk injuring their eyes when they stare at their computer screens all day.
Typical eye injuries occurring in the workplace include burns caused by chemicals and medical problems stemming from ultraviolet lights that are related to welding. Consequently, employees working with chemicals or welding tools are very vulnerable to eye damage.
Many employees also expose their eyes to the blue light caused by computer screens. Digital screens with LED technology can cause vision problems. The Vision Council recently conducted a survey showing that exposure to blue light can cause severe eyestrain or even damage to the retina.
An employee who has job-related injuries may be entitled to file a workers’ compensation claim. While the claim could help cover medical expenses and a portion of lost wages, the filing process can sometimes be complicated. This is where an attorney could provide assistance. Legal counsel may be particularly helpful if a benefits denial must be appealed.