Kentucky residents understand just how important their eyesight is. Loss of eyesight can negatively change a person’s quality of life, which is why it is imperative that steps are taken to keep one’s eyes safe during work.
The importance of eye safety can be seen when one looks at the statistics. Approximately 2,000 individuals sustain some form of eye injury while working each day. Approximately 700,000 injuries of this type happen on an annual basis. This means that there are millions of Americans who are dealing with impaired vision or loss of vision after suffering an injury at work.
In addition to the effect that this has on an employee’s health and long-term well-being, one must consider the effect this has on the economy. Employers and organizations end up paying out hundreds of millions of dollars whether in fines, employee compensation or lost productivity because of work-related eye injuries.
A common misconception about work-related eye injuries is that they only affect individuals who are involved in physical labor, such as on a construction site. The truth is that quite a few eye injuries take place in an office environment. Working at a desk for hours on end can put a heavy strain on a person’s eyes and expose them to potential injury. In fact, the blue light that is produced from electronic devices remains one of the most common eye hazards that workers experience. This is because 6 out of 10 people are going to spend at least 6 hours a day in front of LED back lit technology. This could include things like cellphones, tablets and other electronic devices.
If a person suffers an eye injury while at work, they may want to speak to a personal injury attorney who is knowledgeable about workers’ compensation. The attorney may be able to explain to clients what rights they are given with workers’ compensation and explain to them what accepting workers’ compensation does to their right to pursue future civil litigation.