Editing Health and safety in the shop or garage (section)
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== Eye protection== Corrective glasses and sunglasses are not an acceptable substitute for safety glasses. If wearing corrective glasses, then wear safety glasses designed to fit around them, or invest in a pair of prescription safety glasses. Standard safety glasses can be equipped with side shields, cups, or tinted lenses to offer additional protection. In the United States, the national government standard for eye protection is ANSI Z-87.1 Make sure your safety glasses carry this designation. Face shields and helmets are not in themselves protective eyewear. But, they are frequently used in conjunction with eye protectors. When grinding or when exposed to chemicals, use a full face shield over safety glasses or goggles. While safety glasses and full-faced shields are acceptable in many situations, sometimes they are not enough. Safety glasses that completely fill the gap between the face and the lens are sometimes needed. [[Rust]], hot metal grindings, and abrasives (like sand and dirt) can literally ricochet off your cheek, then bounce off the inside of the safety glasses and embed themselves into your eyes. Your eyes heal very quickly. If you get slag embedded in your eye, it can easily "heal" over the slag, requiring surgery to remove it. See a doctor. ===Eye protection tips=== *Eyebrows, hair, and hats can all hold debris that can get into and damage your eyes. Clean the "above the eyes" area on your body before removing your safety glasses. *When showering after grinding, close your eyes while you wash your face thoroughly. *Turn around the bill of your hat, because it can hold debris, or redirect it into your eye. *Be careful of debris on anything that will be lifted over your eyes (like a ladder). *When working under potential debris (like when working under a car), don't remove your safety glasses, for example, to wipe the dust off. *Use the proper filter lens shade for the job. UV (ultraviolet) light can cause a number of vision problems, including deadly cancerous eyelid tumors and blindness. ===Arc flash=== *Also known as "arc eyes", "flash burn", "snow blindness", "ultraviolet keratitis", or "corneal flash burn". It's analogous to a sunburn on your eyeballs. *Avoid "blind" tack-welding, i.e. closing your eyes, blocking your eyes, or looking away when you tack. *Take steps to ensure that nobody "walks in" on a welding job without eye protection, or they could get arc flash (i.e.: sign on the door). *Don't weld with a white shirt on- white can be too reflective. *Don't weld with "cool" sunglasses as protection. Being blind isn't cool. ====Symptoms of eye injury from welding flash==== *Feels like you have sandpaper rubbing your eyeballs *Bloodshot eyes *Light sensitivity *Excessive tearing *Moderate to severe pain *Can't close eyes (can't sleep) ====What about using potatoes or potato juice?==== Ignore the old welder's tale of using a potato or potato juice. It's not sterile and could cause an infection. Instead, use eyewash from a first aid kit. See a doctor. ====What about using over-the-counter eyedrops?==== Don't use topical anesthetic drops, because they can slow the healing of the cornea. However (ask your doctor), you may be advised to use over-the-counter '''lubricant''' eyedrops. ====When to see a doctor about arc flash==== If you have worsening pain in your eyes, or your vision blurs or changes, you should see a doctor, preferably an ophthalmologist. Or, just go to an emergency room. The doctor will examine your eye, typically with a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slit_lamp slit lamp]. You may receive some eyedrops to numb, dilate, or dye your eye to aid in the examination. Then, you'll probably get some eyedrops to take home, to help alleviate the pain or lubricate your eyes. In most cases, you should be recovered within a few days. ====Articles and tech info==== *[http://www.eyesafety.4ursafety.com/terms.html Safety glasses terms, types, and lens tint descriptions, from 4UrSafety.com] *[http://www.emedicinehealth.com/corneal_flash_burns/article_em.htm Corneal flash burn, from eMedecineHealth.com] *[http://www.equipdirect.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=3 Safety glasses glossary, from EquipDirect.com] ====OSHA standards==== *[http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9778 OSHA standard for eye and face protection] *[http://www.labtrain.noaa.gov/osha600/refer/menu11a.pdf OSHA guide listing proper filter lens shade number for different welding operations] ====Discussions==== *[http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/safety-glasses-slag-135401.html Safety glasses and slag] *[http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/burned-eyes-121146.html Burned eyes] *[https://www.aws.org/cgi-bin/mwf/topic_show.pl?pid=47289 Home remedies for flash burn]
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