Eye injuries at work: a prospective population-based survey within the chemical industry.
A population of 63,000 chemical industry workers was studied prospectively over approximately 10,000,000 man-hours of work. A total of 133 eye injuries were reported (8.4% of all injuries), of which 22% needed medical attention. Eye protection was often not worn, some protectors may have been wrongly recommended for a particular task, and some protectors may have failed to perform adequately. In this population, an eye injury occurred once every 75,000 man-hours of work on average (injury incidence 23:1000:year). Most injuries were avoidable. Revision of protection protocols at work, and improved education of personnel are needed to reduce the incidence of occupational eye injury.
Jones
N P
NP
University Department of Ophthalmology, Manchester Royal Eye Hospital.
Griffith
G A
GA
D000062:Accidents, Occupational; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002617:Chemical Industry; D005131:Eye Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005135:Eye Protective Devices; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006113:United Kingdom