U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS COMPENSATION AND WORKING CONDITIONS

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Workplace Injuries Involving the Eyes, 2008

by Patrick M. Harris

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Originally Posted: February 23, 2011

Injuries to the eyes accounted for 37 percent of all head injuries involving days away from work in 2008 and 62 percent of all

face injuries involving days away from work. Men experienced far more eye injuries than women, and men age 25 to 44

suffered more eye injuries than men in other age groups. Workers who were most at risk of incurring an eye injury included

those in the manufacturing, construction, and trade industries, and those in the production; installation, maintenance, and

repair; construction and extraction; and service occupations.

In 2008, there were 27,450 nonfatal occupational injuries or illnesses involving the eye (or eyes) that resulted in days away

from work. The typical eye injury resulted from the eye being rubbed or abraded by foreign matter, such as metal chips, dirt

particles, and splinters, or by these types of items striking the eye. These injury events resulted commonly in surface wounds,

such as abrasions, scratches, and embedded foreign bodies (splinters and chips).

Potential eye hazards are found in nearly every industry. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards

require that employers provide workers with suitable eye protection. To be effective in preventing injury, the eyewear must be

of the appropriate type for the hazard encountered, and it must be properly fitted.

This report examines data from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), which is part of the BLS Injuries,

Illnesses, and Fatalities (IIF) program, and profiles work-related injuries involving the eye or eyes. Approximately 3.7 million

injuries and illnesses were reported in private industry workplaces during 2008, at a rate of 3.9 per 100 equivalent full-time

workers. Among the nearly 1.1 million injuries involving at least one day away from work, more than 70,000 were head

injuries classified into the following areas: cranial region, including skull; ears; face; multiple head locations; and other or

unspecified areas of the head. (See table 1.) More than sixty percent of all head injuries occurred to the face. Injuries to the

face are further classified into the following areas: face, unspecified; forehead; eyes; nose or nasal cavity; cheeks; jaw or

chin; mouth; multiple face locations; and face, other. There were 27,450 eye injuries in 2008, accounting for 62 percent of

face injuries and 37 percent of all head injuries requiring days away from work. (See table 2.)

Table 1. Number of nonfatal occupational head injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by part of the

head, 2008

Characteristics Number of cases Percent of cases

Head 73,270 100.0

Head, unspecified 16,340 22.3

Cranial region, including skull 10,550 14.4

Ears 1,030 1.4

Face 44,450 60.7

Multiple head locations 850 1.2

Head, other 50 (1)

Footnotes:

(1) Less than 1 percent.

Note: As a result of rounding, the components may not add to exactly 100 percent.
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Table 2. Number of nonfatal occupational facial injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by part of the

face, 2008

Characteristics Number of cases Percent of cases

Face 44,450 100.0

Eyes 27,450 61.8

Face, unspecified 3,450 7.8

Mouth 3,170 7.1

Forehead 3,020 6.8

Nose, nasal cavity 2,550 5.7

Multiple face locations 2,510 5.6

Cheek(s) 1080 2.4

Jaw or chin 810 1.8

Face, n.e.c. 410 (1)

Footnotes:

(1) Less than 1.0 percent.

Note: As a result of rounding, the components may not add to exactly 100 percent. The abbreviation "n.e.c." stands for "not elsewhere

classified."

Worker Characteristics

Although men were nearly twice as likely as women to experience an occupational injury or illness requiring days away from

work in 2008, men made up an even greater proportion of the eye injury cases: about 81 percent. As can be seen in table 3,

the majority of the eye injury cases occurred among workers aged 25 to 34 years and 35 to 44 years. These two age groups

combined accounted for nearly 54 percent of all eye injuries.

Table 3. Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work (total and those to the eye) by sex,

age, and race or ethnic origin, 2008

Characteristics All injuries and illnesses Injuries to the eyes

Number Percent Number Percent

Total: 1,078,140 100.0 27,450 100.0

Sex:

Men 688,790 63.9 22,170 80.8

Women 384,930 35.7 5,240 19.1

Age:

Under 14 -- -- -- -- 14 to 15 130 (1) -- -- 16 to 19 31,010 2.9 1,000 3.6

20 to 24 107,880 10.0 3,950 14.4

Footnotes:

(1) Less than 1 percent.

Note: As a result of rounding, the components under "Sex," "Age," and "Race or ethnic origin" may not add to exactly 100 percent. Dashes

indicate that no data were available.
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Characteristics All injuries and illnesses Injuries to the eyes

Number Percent Number Percent

25 to 34 239,580 22.2 8,010 29.2

35 to 44 251,490 23.3 6,750 24.6

45 to 54 261,030 24.2 5,350 19.5

55 to 64 142,840 13.2 1,880 6.8

65 and over 28,420 2.6 230 (1)

Race or ethnic origin:

White, non-Hispanic 464,500 43.1 12,700 46.3

Black, non-Hispanic 83,970 7.8 2,100 7.7

Hispanic or Latino 145,870 13.5 4,600 16.8

Asian 15,090 1.4 470 1.7

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 2,920 (1) 60 (1)

American Indian or Alaskan Native 4,230 (1) 220 (1)

Hispanic and other 930 (1) 30 (1)

Multi-race 760 (1) -- -- Not reported 359,870 33.4 7,270 26.5

Footnotes:

(1) Less than 1 percent.

Note: As a result of rounding, the components under "Sex," "Age," and "Race or ethnic origin" may not add to exactly 100 percent. Dashes

indicate that no data were available.

Industry

Table 4 shows that 72 percent of all eye injury cases occurred in manufacturing, construction, trade (wholesale and retail), or

educational and health services. The remaining eight industry divisions accounted for the other 28 percent.

Table 4. Incidence rates and number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses to the eye involving days away

from work by major industry division, 2008

Major industry division Number of eye injuries Percent of eye injuries

Total 27,450 100.0

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting 620 2.3

Mining 390 1.4

Construction 5,510 20.1

Manufacturing 6,930 25.2

Transportation and warehousing and utilities 1,580 5.8

Wholesale and retail trade 4,670 17.0

Information 250 (1)

Financial activities 800 2.9

Footnotes:

(1) Less than 1 percent.

Note: As a result of rounding, the components may not add to exactly 100 percent.
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Major industry division Number of eye injuries Percent of eye injuries

Professional and business services 1,540 5.6

Educational and health services 2,640 9.6

Leisure and hospitality 1,460 5.3

Other services 1,060 3.9

Footnotes:

(1) Less than 1 percent.

Note: As a result of rounding, the components may not add to exactly 100 percent.

Days Away From Work

Compared with injuries to other parts of the body, a relatively large proportion of eye injuries required only 1 day away from

work to recuperate. As shown in table 5, the median number of days away from work for eye injury cases (those requiring

days away from work) was 2 days, which is 6 days fewer than the median for all cases.

Table 5. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work (total and those to the

eye) by number and median days away from work, 2008

Characteristics All parts Percent of days-away-from-work cases

involving all parts Eyes Percent of days-away-from-work casesinvolving eyes

Total 1,078,140 100.0 27,450 100.0

Cases involving 1

day 160,190 14.9 12,200 44.4

Cases involving 2

days 118,600 11.0 5,910 21.5

Cases involving 3 to

5 days 192,180 17.8 5,410 19.7

Cases involving 6 to

10 days 127,920 11.9 1,650 6.0

Cases involving 11

to 20 days 126,060 11.7 1,170 4.3

Cases involving 21

to 30 days 73,370 6.8 330 1.2

Cases involving 31

or more days 279,830 26.0 770 2.8

Median days away

from work 8 - 2 - Note: As a result of rounding, the components may not add to exactly 100 percent. Dashes indicate that no data were available.

Occupation

Among specific occupations, twelve had at least 500 eye injuries in 2008. These occupations accounted for 44 percent

(12,100 eye injuries) of all occupational eye injury cases in private industry. With 2,010 cases, laborers and freight, stock, and

material movers incurred the most eye injuries, followed by welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers. (See table 6.) Turning to

broader occupational groups, five categories--production; installation, maintenance, and repair; construction and extraction;

service; and transportation and material moving occupations--accounted for 87 percent of eye injuries among private industry
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workers. (See table 7.) Workers in these occupational groups tend to experience injuries from flying objects, chemicals,

harmful radiation, or a combination of these or other hazards.

Table 6. Occupations with at least 500 nonfatal eye injuries involving days away from work, 2008

Occupation Number of eye injuries Percent of eye injuries

Total 27,450 100.0

Laborers and freight, stock and material movers 2,010 7.3

Welders, cutters, solderers, and brazers 1,790 6.5

Production workers, all other 1,030 3.8

Construction laborers 990 3.6

Maintenance and repair workers, general 980 3.6

Automotive service technicians and mechanics 950 3.5

Truck drivers, heavy and tractor trailer 900 3.3

Janitors and cleaners, except maids and housekeeping cleaners 810 3.0

Carpenters 760 2.8

Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters 720 2.6

Assemblers and fabricators, all other 640 2.3

Electricians 520 1.9

Note: The component occupations do not add to 100 percent because only occupations with 500 or more eye injuries are shown.

Table 7. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work (total and those to the

eye) by occupational group, 2008

Occupational groups All parts Eyes Percent of eye injuries

Management, business, and financial 26,310 130 (1)

Professional and related 80,790 1,090 4.0

Service 235,340 4,280 15.6

Sales and related 69,410 800 2.9

Office and administrative support 80,410 1,000 3.6

Farming, fishing, and forestry 13,510 470 1.7

Construction and extraction 120,890 4,930 18.0

Installation, maintenance, and repair 93,880 4,410 16.1

Production 138,890 6,330 23.1

Transportation and material moving 217,070 3,990 14.5

Footnotes:

(1) Less than 1 percent.

Characteristics Of The Injuries

As shown in table 8, there were 27,450 eye accidents reported in private industry in 2008. The most prevalent (26 percent)

type of event involved the eye or eyes being rubbed or abraded by foreign matter. A similar percentage of eye injuries
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resulted from the eye being struck by a flying object. Falls, fires and explosions, and assaults and violent acts were not

among the most prevalent events or exposures involving eye injuries and illnesses. (See table 8.)

Table 8. Top five events and exposures for nonfatal occupational eye injuries involving days away from work, 2008

Events and exposures Number of eye injuries Percent of eye injuries

Total 27,450 100.0

Rubbed or abraded by foreign matter in eye 7,150 26.0

Struck by flying object 6,990 25.5

Contact with skin or other exposed tissue 3,980 14.5

Struck by object or equipment, unspecified 1,410 5.1

Exposure to welding light 1,390 5.1

Note: The components do not add to 100 percent because only the top five events and exposures are shown in this tabulation.

Table 9 shows that the principal source of head and eye injuries in 2008 was the category scrap, waste, and debris. With

13,400 eye injuries, this category accounted for close to 49 percent of all such nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses

involving days away from work. Accounting for 86 percent of scrap, waste, and debris and nearly 42 percent of all eye injuries

were chips, particles, and splinters. In addition, among the nine specific sources accounting for 500 or more eye injuries, six

were classified as scrap, waste, and debris. (See table 9.)

Table 9. Source of injury to the eye with 500 or more nonfatal occupational injuries involving days away from work,

2008

Source of eye injuries Number of eye injuries Percent of eye injuries

Total 27,450 100.0

Scrap, waste, and debris 13,400 48.8

Scrap, waste, debris, unspecified 1,750 6.4

Chips, particles, splinters 11,460 41.7

Metal chips, particles 5,020 18.3

Chips, particles, splinters, unspecified 2,300 8.4

Dirt particles 1,910 7.0

Chips, particles, splinters, n.e.c. 970 3.5

Wood chips, sawdust 960 3.5

Cleaning and polishing agents, n.e.c. 1,340 4.9

Welding and heating hand tools-powered 1,210 4.4

Boxes, crates, cartons 510 1.9

Note: The components do not add to 100 percent because only sources with 500 or more eye injuries are included in this tabulation. The

abbreviation "n.e.c." stands for "not elsewhere classified."

Among workers in those occupations that most often experienced eye injuries, many are commonly exposed to dirt, scrap,

and flying objects. Examples include laborers, welders, and assemblers, all of whom face a higher risk of encountering the

leading sources of eye injuries.

Nearly 83 percent of the 27,450 nonfatal eye injury cases were related to traumatic injuries and disorders. A traumatic injury

is the result of a single incident, event, or exposure. As can be seen in table 10, the most common injuries to the eye were

surface wounds--more specifically, injuries involving foreign bodies such as splinters or chips--with 9,380 cases. Abrasions

and scratches were the second leading nature of eye injuries. The eight natures of injuries with more than 1,000 cases
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accounted for about 83 percent of eye injuries. Welders flash and disorders of the eye, adnexa, vision (not elsewhere

classified) were two natures that accounted for close to 60 percent of all systemic diseases and disorders (those that occur

over time) and nearly 10 percent of all eye injuries.

Table 10. Natures of injury to the eye with 1,000 or more nonfatal occupational eye injuries involving days away from

work, 2008

Nature of eye injuries Number of eye injuries Percent of eye injuries

Total 27,450 100.0

Foreign bodies (superficial splinters, chips) 9,380 34.2

Abrasions, scratches 4,090 14.9

Chemical burns 2,850 10.4

Soreness, pain, hurt, except the back 1,500 5.5

Welder's flash 1,390 5.1

Disorders of the eye, adnexa, vision, n.e.c 1,290 4.7

Cuts, lacerations 1,120 4.1

Bruises, contusions 1,080 3.9

Note: The components do not add to 100 percent because only natures with 1,000 or more eye injuries are shown. The abbreviation "n.e.c."

stands for "not elsewhere classified."

Conclusion

BLS data on occupational injuries and illnesses show that in 2008 eye injury cases accounted for 37 percent of all head

injuries involving days away from work and 62 percent of all face injuries involving days away from work. The data also

indicate that men experienced more eye injuries than women. Workers in the manufacturing, construction, and trade

industries and those in production; installation, maintenance, and repair; construction and extraction; and service occupations

were most at risk of incurring an eye injury.

Note: For additional information about eye safety at work and eye injury prevention, contact the National Institute for

Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Eye Safety http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/eye/, 1-800-35-NIOSH and National

Eye Institute Healthy Vision 2010 http://www.nei.nih.gov/healthyvision/progress.asp, (301) 496-5248.

Patrick M. Harris

Economist, Office of Safety, Health, and Working Conditions, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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