Eye Injury First Aid: What to Do at Work in Australia

Eye Injury First Aid: What to Do at Work in Australia

Eye injuries are one of the most common incidents across Australian trade and construction work, yet the correct response depends entirely on what kind of injury it actually is. Dust and debris need a very different response to a chemical splash, and a penetrating injury needs a completely different response again, one where doing the wrong thing can cause permanent damage. This guide covers what to do for each type of eye injury on an Australian worksite, what your kit needs, and what the law requires from your workplace.

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Common Causes of Eye Injuries at Work

Eye injuries in trade work generally fall into a few clear categories. Dust, wood shavings, and metal filings from grinding, cutting, and sanding are the most frequent cause, particularly relevant given the current tightening of silica regulations covered in our silica dust and first aid guide. Chemical splashes from solvents, cleaning products, and paint strippers are common in painting and industrial trades. UV exposure from welding arcs causes a specific and painful injury called arc eye, which our guide for welders and boilermakers covers in detail. Impact injuries from flying debris or tools rounds out the most common causes seen on Australian worksites.

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Foreign Body in the Eye: What to Do

For dust, grit, or small debris in the eye, resist the urge to rub it, since rubbing can scratch the surface of the eye and make the injury worse. Instead, blink repeatedly to encourage natural tearing, which often clears small particles on its own. If the particle does not clear, gently irrigate the eye with clean saline solution, tilting the head to the side so the affected eye is lower and the fluid can rinse the particle out and away from the other eye. If the particle is still visible and does not wash out with irrigation, or if there is ongoing pain, redness, or light sensitivity, seek medical attention rather than continuing to try and remove it yourself.

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Chemical Splash to the Eye: What to Do

A chemical splash to the eye is a genuine emergency and needs immediate, sustained irrigation. Begin flushing the eye with clean running water or saline solution straight away, holding the eyelid open to ensure the fluid reaches the entire eye surface. This needs to continue for a full fifteen minutes at minimum, which is far longer than most people expect. Remove contact lenses if this can be done quickly and without delaying irrigation. Once irrigation is complete, seek medical attention regardless of how the eye feels afterward, since chemical injuries can cause damage that is not immediately obvious.

This fifteen minute figure is not arbitrary. It comes directly from Australian Standard AS 4775, which governs emergency eyewash and shower equipment and requires fixed eyewash stations in workplaces handling hazardous chemicals to provide at least fifteen minutes of continuous flushing fluid. For mobile trade workers without access to a fixed eyewash station, a portable saline supply in the first aid kit is what stands in for that same fifteen minute flush.

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Penetrating or Embedded Objects: What Not to Do

If an object is embedded in or penetrating the eye, the correct first aid response is almost entirely about what not to do. Do not attempt to remove the object under any circumstances. Do not apply any pressure to the eye. Do not allow the person to rub or squeeze the eye shut. Instead, loosely cover both eyes, not just the injured one, since covering both reduces movement of the injured eye caused by the healthy eye tracking normally. Call triple zero or get the person to emergency care immediately, keeping them calm and as still as possible in the meantime.

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Impact and Blunt Force Injuries

A direct blow to the eye from a tool, a swinging object, or debris can cause bruising, swelling, and in more serious cases internal damage that is not visible from the outside. A cold compress applied gently around the eye socket, without direct pressure on the eyeball itself, can help with swelling in the first hour. Any blunt force eye injury involving vision changes, double vision, severe pain, or a visibly abnormal pupil should be assessed by a medical professional the same day rather than monitored at home.

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Your WHS Obligations in Australia

Under the model Work Health and Safety Act, Australian workplaces where chemical exposure to the eyes is a realistic risk are required to provide eyewash facilities that meet AS 4775, positioned within ten seconds of travel time from the hazard. For mobile trades and worksites without fixed facilities, this obligation is generally met through a properly stocked portable first aid kit that includes an adequate volume of saline eyewash, along with appropriate eye protection to prevent the injury from occurring in the first place.

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What Should Be in Your Kit

• Saline eyewash: in sufficient volume to properly irrigate an eye, not just a small single use vial
• Eye pads: for covering an injured eye, or both eyes in the case of a penetrating injury
• Adhesive tape: for securing eye pads without pressure on the eye itself
• A torch: useful for assessing pupil response and checking for visible foreign bodies before deciding on the right response

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The Practical Takeaway

Not every eye injury is treated the same way, and knowing which category an injury falls into changes what the correct first aid response actually is. Dust and debris usually respond well to irrigation, chemical splashes need a full fifteen minutes of continuous flushing, and anything penetrating or embedded needs to be left completely alone until emergency help arrives. Keep enough saline in your kit to actually manage a real irrigation, and treat any eye injury involving vision changes or ongoing pain as something that needs medical review the same day.

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This is general safety information rather than medical advice. If you or someone at your workplace has a serious eye injury, seek medical attention immediately rather than relying on this guide alone.

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Tax Deductible

First aid kits are one hundred percent tax deductible as a workplace safety expense for Australian businesses. Keep your receipt and claim it at tax time.

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