When industrial companies reassess their work safety programs to comply with state and federal regulations and enhance their own environmental, safety and health programs, they should focus on eye protection. As workers rely on their sight for virtually every task, it's crucial employers ensure staff are protected from hazards that could cause eye injuries and provide them the personal protective equipment necessary to guard against these risks. 

The rate of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses that resulted in employees taking days off from work decreased in 2013 compared to the previous year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While the incident rate dropped from 111.8 cases per 10,000 full-time workers in 2012 to 109.4 cases in 2013, eye injuries remain a major cause of worry for employers and workers in the mining sector and other industrial segments. 

Personal protective equipment like goggles are effective in protecting workers from eye injuries.

An analysis of BLS data on workplace injuries by the American Academy of Ophthalmology found the manufacturing, construction and mining industries accounted for 40 percent of all occupational eye injuries. Not only are eye injuries harmful to workers who may take time off of work to recover, employers are hit financially by the reduction in productivity due to injuries. 

According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, eye injuries in the workplace cost the U.S. about $300 million a year, which is the total from lost productivity, health care costs and worker compensation.

However, while the rate of eye injuries is high for industrial workplaces, the American Academy of Ophthalmology said eye protection could curb 90 percent of injuries. 

"It takes very little effort to protect yourself from on-the-job hazards that can cause blinding eye injuries," said Anne Sumers, M.D., an ophthalmologist and clinical spokesperson for the academy. "We strongly advise workers and their employers not to let their guard down when it comes to wearing proper eye protection."

Here are a couple of tips to reduce the number of workplace eye injuries:

Identify hazards and choose appropriate eye protection
Industrial worksites often have hazards like falling equipment that could damage workers' eyes. In addition to employers assessing these dangers, they should match up their workers' safety requirements with the right PPE like goggles. Not only are goggles and other PPE for eye protection crucial to prevent eye injuries from falling or shattering debris, goggles could help workers reduce exposure to chemicals that may splash or drop in their eyes. 

Emergency eyewash stations
When harmful materials or chemicals touch workers' eyes, employers should be prepared by having eyewash stations near employee work stations. OSHA states emergency eyewash stations need to be positioned in all hazardous areas. Employers should periodically remind workers where these stations are as well as how to properly operate them in case they are unable to clearly see where they are going or doing. Instructions for using these eyewash stations should also be posted close to the station and places where employees are at risk for chemical exposure. 

The U.S. Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services teamed up together to release new guidelines for handling mass chemical exposure, which is especially relevant for workers at industrial worksites, Occupational Health and Safety magazine reported. The DHS' Office of Health Affairs Chemical Defense Program and the HHS' Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response released the guidance in response to an incident at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, in 2013 that resulted in several causalities.

The U.S. Chemical Safety Board concluded the accident that killed 15 people, including workers at the plant and emergency responders, was preventable, CNN reported. 

The CSB said issues within the plant, as well as with regulatory agencies from all levels of government, resulted in the facility having multiple safety violations before the accident. These include McLennan County not being prepared with an emergency response plan as well as lack of fire codes. 

"It resulted from the failure of a company to take the necessary steps to avert a preventable fire and explosion and from the inability of federal, state and local regulatory agencies to identify a serious hazard and correct it," CSB Chairman Rafael Moure-Eraso said.

The accident has prompted calls for stricter regulations for storing chemicals for fertilizer, such as the ammonium nitrate used at the West plant. 

In the event of an accident that requires swift decontamination of workers and hazardous chemicals during explosions and other incidents, employers should follow recommended guidelines from federal safety and health regulators. 

Here are tips for safe decontamination for chemical incident sites:

Establish and communicate the decontamination plan
According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, employers should establish a decontamination plan before employees are expected to be exposed to hazardous chemicals. As part of this plan, employers should state the number of decontamination stations and map out their locations. They should also equip these stations with the items needed for successful decontamination, which may include personal protective equipment like gloves and goggles for workers expected to help with removing chemicals from workers' clothing or skin.

Knowledge of proper procedures for chemical decontamination is crucial to ensure the safety of those affected.

Know the symptoms of chemical exposure
Once workers have contact with hazardous materials, they may exhibit signs that they have been exposed. When there is the potential for contact with chemicals, those responsible for emergency response should determine whether workers have been exposed through recognizing key signs, including the look and characteristics of the contaminants in question as well as the health effects of exposure, such as nausea and vomiting for certain chemicals. 

Train workers in technical practices of decontamination
Following all the important steps of the decontamination process is crucial to ensure chemicals are safely controlled and removed. Workers should be knowledgeable about the correct use of decontaminants and the procedure for patients during the decontamination process, according to the DHS and HHS. The report from the federal agencies notes that those responsible for decontamination must keep in mind the privacy of patients during this process. They must also be trained in using both water-based decontamination as well as other alternative practices, such as using chemical-specific decontaminants.