Page 1659 - Xmo Strata - Bulletin Archive

Safety, Health, Environmental & Quality Bulletin No 623

07 June 2018

Eye Injury

We have recently had a report of a crew member sustaining an eye injury resulting in a fragment of
metal having to be removed from his eye.

The employee was driving home from work when his eye started to feel sore, the next day his eye was
swollen and stinging. He visited an optician who identified the problem as a small piece of metal in his
eye. He then attended A&E to get the metal removed.

It is not known how the metal got into his eye, as the injured party had been wearing eye protection all
day and was even wearing them whilst driving home as they are tinted and it was a hot sunny day. He
had not been cutting or drilling anything that could cause metal swarf that day. His glasses fit closely to
the face leaving little room for objects to get between.

The employee had removed light fittings and ceiling tiles that day on site, so it is possible dust / swarf
that had built on the fittings had fallen onto his clothes / gloves when removing the lights and this had
then been transferred to his eyes when touching his face.

We often find a build-up of dust or even waste materials inside canopy’s and have previously reported
instances where waste has fallen from the canopy when working on undersheets (see bulletin 619). Be
aware that even small amounts of dust / swarf falling from the canopy can be hazardous. Keep out of
the line of fire when removing any panels.

Always wear your eye protection and ensure they fit properly. Try to avoid touching your face with
dirty gloves, and wash your hands before eating or drinking. Be aware that your clothes could have
small fragments of metal swarf on them and be careful when removing jumpers to ensure you don’t
transfer dust or particles into your eyes.

Whilst we cannot identify how this incident happened, it has been recorded as a First Aid incident on
the Safety module of our XmoMan Management Information System.

We are all a product of learning. Every skill we have; everything we know; everything we believe and everything we do has
been learned throughout the course of our lives. Some of us learn best by studying graphs and charts, some through visual
presentations, and some by reading detailed text books. It is important that we receive information in a format that works for
us as individuals! That’s why at Xmo Strata we use a variety of communication platforms such as bulletins, newsletters,
videos etc. However, if you feel there is a better way for us to share health and safety information, please let us know.
Ultimately, your safety is in your hands – but we will do all we can to keep you well informed!