The Importance of Eye and Face Protection in the Workplace
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By Abbie Geigle
The roofing crew was halfway through the day when a small piece of debris flew off a power saw. It happened fast—just a split second—and one worker who wasn’t wearing safety glasses ended up with a serious eye injury. The project came to a halt, the worker needed emergency care, and the incident could have been completely avoided with one simple precaution: proper eye and face protection.
Unfortunately, stories like this aren’t rare. According to OSHA’s data, Standard 1926.102 – Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment: Eye and Face Protection ranked among the top cited violations, with 1,665 total violations. The roofing industry led these violations, with the most common reason being employers not providing eye and face protection at all.
Why Eye and Face Protection Matters
Every day, thousands of workers are exposed to potential hazards that could damage their vision—flying debris, chemical splashes, dust, or even ultraviolet light from welding and cutting operations. The absence of proper protective equipment (PPE) can lead to serious injuries, lost work time, and even permanent vision loss.
Ensuring employees have access to and use the correct protective gear—such as safety glasses, goggles, or face shields—is not just an OSHA requirement. It’s a critical part of fostering a culture of safety where workers know their well-being is valued.
Training Builds Awareness and Compliance
A major factor in PPE violations is often a lack of training and awareness. Workers may not understand the risks or may underestimate how quickly accidents can happen. That’s where proper education makes all the difference.
The OSHAcademy Course 108: Personal Protective Equipment: Basic offers an excellent foundation for employees and supervisors alike. The course covers essential PPE principles, including how to select, use, and maintain protective gear—helping organizations stay compliant while keeping workers safe.
A Clear Vision for Safety
Eye and face injuries are preventable. By taking the time to provide the right equipment, reinforce its use, and educate workers through proper training, employers can protect their teams and their business from unnecessary harm and costly citations.
Safety starts with seeing the risks—and making sure every worker can keep seeing tomorrow.
2 comments
Hi Ubong,
Thank you so much for the thoughtful comment! You’re absolutely right — compliance goes far beyond simply having PPE available. Building a culture where workers understand why protection matters and feel confident using the right equipment makes all the difference.
Appreciate you sharing the link to your article as well — it’s a valuable resource for anyone looking to strengthen their eye and face protection program. The more we can reinforce these safety fundamentals across industries, the safer everyone becomes.
Great article! It’s a strong reminder that eye and face protection are non‑negotiable in any workplace where mechanical, chemical or radiative hazards exist. As you point out, the fact that Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard 1926.102 leads the construction industry in cited violations really underlines how often we overlook the basics of PPE.
I especially appreciate how you emphasise the importance of training and culture — providing the gear is just the first step; ensuring workers understand hazards, use the correct equipment and are comfortable wearing it is what drives real compliance and risk reduction.
For readers looking for a deeper dive into building an effective protective eyewear & face‑shield programme, you might be interested in this related piece on our blog @ HSEWatch: https://hsewatch.com/care-for-the-eyes/