Wear that eye protection

[lawnfire]

While using my string trimmer, a piece of debris flew up and hit my eye, dead center of the cornea. It blurred my vision slightly, so I went to the doc two days later, and was told I lacerated my cornea. To make a long story short, I now have scar tissue on this cornea, and my 20/20 vision is gone. I have been a full time firefighter for 13 years, and lco for four years. Never once did I think I would injure my eyes. Well, it happened to me. please wear those safety glasses.:blob2:

[SIG]

As a firefighter you should have known better, A very hard lesson learned. I hope everything with your eyes is O.K. I will not let a guy work with my equipment without glasses while trimming and ear protection at all times. Personally I think you should wear glasses while mowing, tree branches can do some serious damage. Good Luck and Be Careful!!

P.S. I am not tring to be mean, I hate to hear about preventable injuries happening.

[yardman1]

lawnfire,

I had the same thing happen to me about two years ago, the rock was about the size of a golf ball hidden under some tall grass. I had no permanate damage, but it hurt like hell for about three days, it also gave me a nice big ol black eye. I do not even pick up a trimmer now without my saftey glasses on. It was lesson learned the hard way.

Kevin
Williams Lawn Mgmt :cry:

[Esby]

I don't know of many that would. Safety glasses aren't expensive, you just need to get in the habit of ALWAYS wearing them.

[TOSLC]

Kinda as a side note, we wear Smith & Wesson safety glasses. I found them at Wal-Mart in the sporting goods section. I think there about $6, there comfortable and stylish. They have clear, amber, and smoke so there is no reason not to wear them all the time (sunlight or dark).

[LawnLad]

Hearing protection with any power equipment and safety glasses for line trimmers and edgers. Some guys wear 'em when we're doing clean ups because of branches and flying dirt.

Sorry to hear of you accident. Though I must say that seeing guys not wear eye protection when line trimming always stunned me. As I'd drive downt he street I'd see guys closing their eyelids partially to avoid getting hit in the eye - if you just wear the safety glasses you don't have to wince.

[SIG]

Just want to add one more tidbit- I will start wearing a face shield this year because it hurts when those rocks crack you in the nose.

[Doc Pete]

I keep thinking those damn yellow jackets hurt after you bump into a nest when September starts. But then I get a nice stone right up side my cheekbone, and say, "Na, those damn stones still hurt more".....:p

And don't forget those gloves.... A good rock on the knuckles last a while, too..........
Pete O

[The Lawn Choupique]

There are pro's and con's to everything. Eye protection is no exception. I was working down on the banks cutting cane with a brush hook without eye ware and the knats were swarming. If I had been wearing eye protection the knats would not have gotten in my eyes and I would have seen the gator laying in the mud hole. But as things worked out I did not see the gator and wacked him over the head with the brush hook. So as a result of not having safty glasses on I was able to pin the gator to the bank long enough to get my chain saw out of the truck and slice his tail off and my family ate for another day.

Laissez Les Bon Temps Roule

[AK Lawn]

Lawn Choupique, i am not sure whether the story is true or not but very interesting and one of the craziest things i have heard, hey but i am only 19 and very nieve, but crazy story anyways, keep on wearing thiose safty glasses
AK Lawn

[lawnkid]

This happened to my uncle once who is also a landscaper. He was cutting some pretty tall grass next to some fence when he came over to me while I was cutting and said he a rock hit him in the eye and was it bleeding. I said no but the next day it was all swelled up and was bloody on the eyeball. Doctor told him he could've lost his eye and to only wear glasses form now on. This is where I learned to keep some sunglasses in my pocket for trimming.

[Brickman]

I am with all of you. I wear contacts and even dust hurts. All the dust is hard to keep out, but a good pair of shades help. I require any employees to wear eye protection and hearing protection at my expense.
I am a volunteer FF and we need to take care of our selves for when other people need us.
Face protection would be a good idea, but it gets in the way at times. I have been hit in the face hard enough to make tears come, and the spot that got hit will go numb for a while. You all know how it goes. Be safe every body.

[MuskTurfKing]

I ALWAYS wear saftey glasses when trimming, from the fact that you protect your eyes, you also don't have to squint them from the crap being flung.

One time when I was 10 or so I was riding my bike and a bug got in my eye and was stuck under my eyelid, had to go to the doctor and he had to flip my eyelid up to get it out, not pleasant at ALL!

Hank

[MWM]

Our company policy requires eye protection while using the string trimmer. It amazes me when I see someone trying to "sneak by". I like to hold up two fingers and ask them how many they see. Of course they answer "two". I then ask them how they would feel if they arrived home and could not see their wife or children ever again because they "thought it wasn't important". It is that important. Surgeons can graft skin, they can save fingers, toes and other vital organs but I've never heard of a working artificial eye. We can't be 24/7 babysitters but we can implement policy, document warnings and if needed fire.
lawnfire, Thanks for starting this post. If only one person saves his eyesight because of reading these posts it will be well worth everyones time.

[RB]

Don't wear ear protection, but wear eye protection. So far twice this season, while trimming, a rock shot off a fence (I think) and hit my glasses - hard! If I wouldn't have had safety glasses on they would have been calling me pirate Ron.

Wear those glasses.

ron

PS
I should wear hearing protection, but I know sign language.

[wxmn6]

I always wear safety glasses. It never bother me because I am used to it. I did have a few things hitting my glasses while trimming. Thank god for safety glasses.

RB, I never wear ear protection too. Why? Because I am deaf. I know sign language.

WEAR THOSE SAFETY GLASSES

[eslawns]

Best advice I've ever seen on this forum. I guess it never occurred to me NOT to wear them, and I still get stuff in my eyes, just not forcefully. IMO, things like this type of information being passed along are the best argument for visiting a website like LS. The only bad thing is that Lawnfire's lesson will be so expensive.

[Shadetree Ltd]

Eye and ear protection are mandatory for my guys. If you do not want to wear it, you will not get paid and might as well go home.

Scott

[BigJim]

Never even pick up the trimmer without my flip up face sheild and earmuffs,saved one eye from a stone and the other from a clothes peg,walked into a fold down clothes line the other day,face sheild took all the impact and saved me breaking my glasses.Amazing the noise a trimmer makes without muffs too,cant be good for the ears.A blind ,deaf guy aint too much use in this business, wear that safety gear.:cool:

[AltaLawnCare]

This season I started using a "wire mesh" type shield, like the type on hard hats for Chain Saw work. Its alot cooler than the plastic shield, and vsibility is still good. :p

[2tall]

Always wear safety glasses!! Look at it this way, a $10 pair of safety glasses or a $50 doctor visit.