You’ve no doubt heard of a PPO and an HMO, but have you ever heard of a PPE?

PPE stands for “Personal Protective Equipment”, and it refers to clothing, footwear, goggles, gloves, helmets and other garments designed to protect us from injury or infection. But since March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month, let’s just concentrate on our eyes.

All joking aside, protecting your vision is paramount in maintaining quality of life, like seeing your grandkids or going for a leisurely Sunday drive.

Please don’t risk injury for vanity. Industrial Safety and Hygiene News reports that 70% of total eye injuries are a result of flying particles, flying or falling objects or sparks that strike the eye. Though companies can offer you eye protection and education, it’s up to you to actually put them to use.

Starting a new job? Helping a co-worker with a chemical or assisting in the construction of a project at work or home? It only takes one mishap for a life-changing event to happen that could cause you to lose your vision. Always make a note of where eye protection is located, familiarize yourself with the instructions, and most importantly, actually wear the eye protection. It’s 10-seconds of safety that could save your vision and your life.
Next time, we’ll talk about recognizing and treating eye injuries.