contact lens and work

[chris1972as]

Is it me or is there not a great deal of ready information when it comes to wearing contact lens and safety at work? Such as is it safe to use chemicals while wearing them as vapour fumes may effect the eyes and how much protection can goggles give? Long term effects of this? Long term effects of working in dusty envirements? Even using computers? Probably just me being thoughtful or frantic Heavy lifting as well??? Oh gosh the list can go on, and on, and on

[Lia Williams]

Chris,

The HSE (Health and Safety Executive) leaflet INDG6 (rev3) is a leaflet titled 'Working with VDUs'. The leaflet includes the following question and response:

'What about problems with my contact lenses or bifocals?

The heat generated by computers and other equipment can make the air seem drier, and some contact lens wearers find this uncomfortable. If you have this problem but don’t want to change to spectacles, you can try blinking more often or using tear-substitute drops. Where the air is dry, employers can help by taking steps to increase the humidity.'

Lia

[GarethB]

This is why it is important to mention to you employer and your occupational health/ health and safety people that you have KC and you have a medical need to wear contact lenses.

This allows them to comply with not only the Health and Safety at Work Act, but also the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations and Control of Substance Hazardous to Health. The first implies a need for a risk assessment, the latter two make it an absolute requirement to conduct a risk assessment. The Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations specifically mentions vulnerable groups e.g. Asthmatics working with dusts would require a dust mask when others probably would be OK working in the same dusty environment.

If you like me work with chemcicals, you will need to participate in the assessment to determine the specific hazards that you may be more susceptable to compared to others. For me, we determined that the safety glasses provided normally gave insufficient protection to me and box goggles were too prehibative. We tried a variety of safety glasses and found a pair better suited my face shape and they also gave a higher degree of protection. This higher level of protection has been expanded to include all the work force. Changes were made to some of my work activities, so instead of using solvent on the open bench, I would use a fume hood so vapours were extracted away from me. Using solvents on the open bench were no issue with respects to occupational exposure limits from the HSE's EH40 document which are supposed to be exposure limits that cause noa dverse affects even to sensitive groups of the population.

There are Manual Handling Regulations which your emplyer must be complying with, but I've never found these to be an issue with regards to KC and contact lens wear. It is more of an issue immediatly post graft.

Let me kow if you need any specific health and safety information and I will see what I can do.

[chris1972as]

thanx for the interesting replies sure enlightens things