Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
should wear nonvented goggles only. Vented goggles are to be used only
for grinding operations or for assignments when chemicals are not used.
In addition to requiring workers to wear the correct type of goggle, the
plant safety person should also require workers to wear face shields for
added safety.
Employees who wear prescription eyewear on the job must also wear
approved eye protection. Workers who wear prescription glasses wrongly
assume that they are automatically wearing eye protection. This is not
the case, however, and employers are not required to provide workers
with prescription protective eyewear. Workers who choose to purchase
their own prescription protective eyewear must ensure that the protec-
tive eyewear meets the applicable American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) standard. It is wise to issue oversized goggles that are designed
to fit over the wearer's regular prescription glasses. This method seems
to suit workers' needs and provides the required protection.
head protection
is required for workers who are or might be
exposed to injury from falling objects or work near exposed electrical
conductors that could contact the head area. A government study on
disabilities suggests that over 65,000 head or face injuries occur each
year. Another study of accidents and injuries conducted by the Bureau
of Labor Statistics noted that most workers who suffered impact injuries
to the head were not wearing head protection. Although it is true that
head protection would not have prevented all of these injuries, it is also
true that there are plenty of workers who have suffered head injuries
who wish they had been better protected at the time of their injury.
The primary head protection recommended is the hard hat. Hard
hats are designed to protect the worker from impact and penetration
caused by objects hitting the head. They also provide limited protection
against electrical shock. Hard hats are tested to withstand the impact of
an 8-pound weight dropped 5 feet. They must meet other requirements,
including those regarding weight, electrical insulating properties, and
flammability. It is interesting to note that a Bureau of Labor Statistics
survey found that 91% of injuries to persons wearing hard hats occurred
when the person was struck other than on top of the head. Lateral head
protection is available but it is larger, heavier, hotter, and more expen-
sive than standard hard hats (Minter, 1990).
Hard hats come in three classes: A, B, and C. Class A hard hats are
made from insulating material that is designed to protect the worker
from falling objects and electric shock by voltages of up to 2200 volts.
Class B hard hats are made from insulating material designed to pro-
tect the worker from falling objects and electric shock by voltages up
to 20,000 volts. Class C hard hats are designed to protect workers from
falling objects but are not designed for use around live electrical wires
or where corrosive substances are present.
Most organizations require workers to wear the Class B hard hat.
Because corrosives, overhead objects (cranes), and electrical circuitry
are present in most wastewater treatment facilities, the Class B hard hat
is best suited to protect workers in this environment. It is also important
