What are the OHS risks?
Most employees perform work with little or no threat of eye injury. Work with elevated risks of eye injury includes using lasers, handling hazardous chemicals, welding, soldering and grinding. Proper precautions should be taken to eliminate or minimise the risks of eye injuries. An equally important responsibility is for employers and employees to respond appropriately in the event of eye injury.
Although risks can be minimised by the strategies of hazard elimination, hazard control and personal protection, accidents and eye injuries may still happen. Eye injuries can occur from sudden impacts on the eye from external objects, penetration of foreign bodies, exposure to high intensity light, radiation or hazardous substances that can cause damage to the eye. Controls need to be in place to eliminate or minimise risks of physical eye injury.
Excessive use of screen based equipment (SBE) can cause eye strain and reduce productivity. Prolonged use of electronic devices may lead to symptoms of Computer Vision Syndrome which include eye strain, dry eyes, headaches, fatigue, blurred vision, and loss of focus. Up to 48 per cent of Australian office workers suffer from computer- related eye fatigue.
Headaches from screen work may be caused by:
- screen glare
- poor image quality
- a need for new or updated prescription lenses
- stress from the pace of work
- anxiety about new technology
- reading the screen for long periods without a break
- poor posture
- a combination of these factors