Employees in New Jersey might benefit from understanding more about the dangers that fog and poor visibility can create at the workplace. Eye injuries requiring medical attention occur more than once per minute in U.S. workplaces, totaling around 2,000 incidents nationwide everyday. The Bureau of Labor Statistics claims that these injuries account for about 25 percent of all head injuries. Approximately 10 to 20 percent of the eye injuries suffered on the job actually result in a permanent or temporary loss a vision.
Eye injuries have left over 1 million people in the U.S. without all or a portion of their eyesight. On average, employees who receive medical attention for an injury typically miss an average of two days of work. Public advocacy groups claim that using the proper protection equipment can help prevent nearly 90 percent of the injuries. The major issues causing the high rate of eye injuries at the workplace are a lack of adequate protection equipment and the noncompliance of employees.
Studies indicate that 50 percent of employees believe that solving the fogging issue could help improve compliance in the workplace. Almost 30 percent of the employee respondents believed that fogging issues actually contributed to the eye injuries suffered at the workplace. More than 65 percent of respondents stated that fogging deterred employees from using the appropriate protective eyewear. When equipment does fog, employees are compelled to remove the eyewear and potentially suffer from exposure to a hazardous environment, or they may keep them on and increase the risk of committing a costly mistake.
Employees who suffer injuries while on the job may benefit from consulting a lawyer. Legal counsel might be able to help an injured client obtain adequate medical coverage and wage benefits through the filing of a workers’ compensation claim.
