IBEW Local Union 1049 remains committed to ensuring a safe workplace for our members.  From the negotiation of our first collective bargaining agreements to the present, there has been no compromise on safety. 

A workplace injury can change your life forever.  We all have a role to play in preventing workplace injuries, illness’s and fatalities.  Always  perform your job in the safest way possible.  Report any health and safety hazards in your workplace. 

In addition to our own responsibility to safety, we have appointed Union Safety Advocates to address the day to day issues we face as well as ensuring a safe working environment:

IBEW Local 1049 Safety Advocates

Utility

James Shand – E D & C Splicing

Ron Bauer – E D & C Overhead

Steve Grabow – MSD Electric Generation

Mike Halupa – Substation Maintenance

Jim Brown – Gas Field Operations

Craft

George Reinhardt – Safety Director, Local 1049 Craft Division

Why is eye safety at work important?

Eye injuries in the workplace are very common. More than 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day. About 1 in 10 injuries require one or more missed workdays to recover from. Of the total amount of work-related injuries, 10-20 % will cause temporary or permanent vision loss.

Experts believe that the right eye protection could have lessened the severity or even prevented 90% of eye injuries in accidents.

What are the common causes of eye injuries?

Common causes for eye injuries are:

• Flying objects (bits of metal, glass)
• Tools
• Particles
• Chemicals
• Harmful radiation
• Any combination of these or other hazards

What is my best defense against an eye injury?

Here are two things you can do to help prevent an eye injury

• Eliminate hazards before starting work. Use machine guarding, work screens, or other engineering controls)
• Use proper eye protection.

When should I protect my eyes at work?

You must wear safety eyewear whenever there is a chance of eye injury. Anyone working in or passing through areas that pose eye hazards must wear protective eyewear.

What type of safety eyewear is available to me?

Safety eyewear protection includes:

• Non-prescription and prescription safety glasses
• Goggles
• Face shields
• Welding helmets
• Full-face respirators

What type of safety eye protection should I wear?

The type of safety eye protection you should wear depends on the hazards in your workplace. If you are working in an area that has particles, flying objects, or dust, you must at least wear safety glasses with side protection (side shields). If you are working with chemicals, you should wear goggles. If you are working near hazardous radiation (welding, lasers, or fiber optics) you must use special-purpose safety glasses, goggles, face shields, or helmets designed for that task.

What is the difference between glass, plastic, and polycarbonate safety lenses?

All three types of safety lenses meet or exceed the requirements for protecting your eyes.

Glass lenses

• Are not easily scratched
• Can be used around harsh chemicals
• Can be made in your corrective prescription
• Are sometimes heavy and uncomfortable

Plastic lenses

• Are lighter weight
• Protect against welding splatter
• Are not likely to fog
• Are not as scratch-resistant as glass

Polycarbonate lenses

• Are lightweight
• Protect against welding splatter
• Are not likely to fog
• Are stronger than glass and plastic
• Are more impact resistant than glass or plastic
• Are not as scratch resistant as glass

Safety and Health Resources

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) 
www.osha.gov

National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health     
www.cdc.gov/NIOSH/

NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards   
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/

Center for Disease Control 
www.cdc.gov

Department of Health and Human Services
www.hhs.gov

American Red Cross 
www.RedCross.org

American Heart Association  
www.americanheart.org

Center  for Construction Research and Training (CPWR)   
www.cpwr.com

Electronic Library of Construction Occupational  Safety & Health (ELCOSH)
www.elcosh.org

Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program (EEOICP)
http://www.dol.gov/esa/owcp/energy/regs/compliance/main.htm

National Safety Council (NSC)   
www.nsc.org

AFL-CIO Safety and Health at Work    
www.aflcio.org/issues/safety/

American National Standards Association (ANSI)   
www.ansi.org

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)      
www.nfpa.org

National Electric Safety Code     
http://standards.ieee.org/nesc/

Electrical & Utilities Safety Association (EUSA)      
www.eusa.on.ca