When high-powered machinery is used to cut, break up, or dismantle materials, pieces of debris are often flung in the air at dangerous speeds. When using a saw, drill, or wood chipper, even a small amount of debris could cause serious harm. The jobs, particularly at risk for dangerous debris, include construction, mining, and logging.
In a more familiar setting, debris can occur in homes and vehicles whenever windows break. Either at home or the workplace, waste is dangerous as it can hurt the eyes and even damage the skin in some instances. To prevent further damage from debris, you must know how debris happens and how it can be prevented.
Injuries from debris in the workplace
Flying wood chips, concrete chunks, or metal flakes are some of the most common debris forms. This debris can cause eye injuries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, flying debris caused over 25% of eye injuries. When foreign objects strike the eye, abrasions, swelling, and retinal damage may occur.
Due to some flying debris’s high velocity, ear injuries can occur if debris is launched into the ear at high speeds. The eardrum and other internal workings can be bruised or torn if impacted, and emergency assistance may be necessary to remove the debris without further damaging the ear.
Safety precautions against flying debris
Here are some steps that you can take and wear to prevent eye damage from debris:
- Canopies and tarps can be installed
- Face shields
- Goggles
- Guard mechanisms on machinery
- Hard hats or helmets
- Long sleeved-jackets or coats
- Thick gloves
These safety hazards should be a mandatory requirement for companies that deal with flying debris on a day-to-day basis. Regularly inspecting tools such as saws and blades can ensure that a smooth surface is cutting materials, minimizing splintering and dislodged debris.
Dangers of debris in a hurricane
Hurricanes are a natural phenomenon that causes millions of damages to countries like the United States. In the United Kingdom, the last recorded storm was Hurricane Gert. During hurricanes, debris from broken windows can destroy a home. Small dents can result in glass breakage whenever a hurricane happens.
In a high-wind event, even small flying debris can compromise a window or door. That creates an opening in what was previously a sealed “building envelope.” If that opening is on the windward side of your home, it acts as the opening of a balloon, with massive volumes of air being forced in.
Can window tints prevent debris in hurricanes?
Yes, window tints can be useful in preventing debris caused by window breakage. Window tints prevent debris because they prevent the windows from breaking in the first place. Once your window breaks, the film will hold the shards preventing the debris from flying or being stepped on.
Window tints are also excellent protection against UV rays. If you want to make your house cooler, then window tints are also a perfect option as it reduces heat coming inside your home.
Where can you have your windows tinted?
If you are looking for a reliable window tinting company, then Global Tint is here for you! If you want your windows to be tinted today, you can call our website at https://globaltint.co.uk/ for a free quote.
