An Audit of X Academy’s Shop Eye Protection Program

Abstract

Hazards in a high school shop environment pose a very real threat to students as it relates to eye injuries. These dangers can be minimized through proper eye protection training as it relates to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard 1910.132(f) and the use of accurate signage which adheres to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard Z535. The purpose of this study was to analyze X Academy’s lab eye protection training and practices in relation to various business/industrial as well as regulatory-based standards. A literature review was performed to gather information to construct an assessment tool to audit X Academy’s eye protection safety in regards to an eye protection policy, signage, training and the protection, care and storage of protective eyewear. The employed assessment tool indicated that X Academy’s eye protection deficiencies were in the areas of student training, how to properly don and maintain eye protection, eye protection signage on shop-made tools and the lack of evidence of any written eye protection policy. Conclusions from this audit were that X Academy’s students were at a greater risk of experience eye injuries due to the absence of a written eye protection policy, incomplete eye protection training and the lack of safety signage on shop-made tools.