Many industrial workers including loggers, construction workers and shipyard workers, are commonly exposed to flying debris in the workplace. Flying debris can cause eye injuries, head injuries, and ear injuries.

Causes of Flying Debris Injury

• Small pieces of construction debris in the form of cement fragments, wood chips and shavings, or pieces of brick can be dislodged and dispersed into the air at great speed, posing a risk to workers nearby.
• Injury from flying debris is common in the logging industry where slivers of wood may be discharged at high speed from machines like saws and wood chippers. Workers who are at risk for eye and head injuries in the logging industry include buckers, chippers and fellers.  In fact the danger from flying debris is found in almost all logging operations.
• Workers may also be injured by metal slivers when they are involved in welding and other metalworking or machining activities.

Injuries Caused by Flying Debris

Eye Injuries

The US Bureau of Labor statistics estimate that about 2,000 eye injuries occur everyday in the workplace.  Of these, 70% are caused by flying debris. Flying debris particles can include gritty dust, wood shavings, glass pieces, etc.

Foreign objects that enter a workers eyes can injure the retina, causing bleeding, swelling and bruising of the eye muscles. Emergency attention is extremely important to avoid any long term damage from an eye injury.

Ear Injury

Small pieces of debris like wood chips can enter the ear, and get lodged inside because of the high speeds at which they are discharged.

Head Injuries

Workers in the construction, logging or mining industries are at increased risk of being struck by larger pieces of flying debris that can cause head injuries.

Preventing Injuries from Flying Debris

Employers are required to provide appropriate personal protective gear to protect against injuries caused by flying debris. Protective equipment includes head protection gear like hard hats, as well as eye and face protection. Safety glasses can protect workers who are involved in woodworking, metalworking and machining, or grinding from accidents. The American National Standard Institute [ANSI] approves only those safety glasses that have side shields attached. They include both plastic and polycarbonate lenses that are tough enough to meet industrial safety requirements. Safety goggles offer more protection than safety glasses against injury from flying debris.  Protective goggles can be worn over a worker's prescription eye wear, if necessary. Besides protecting from flying debris, safety goggles also protect eyes from toxic chemical exposure from splashing liquids.