Next week’s solar eclipse will be visible on Aug. 21 starting at 9am in West Coast cities and on the East Coast at around 1 am. The time of the eclipse will last about 90 minutes, but since it’s during working hours many employees will be itching to go out and watch the rare spectacle.
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The danger for you as an employer is that some workers may end up viewing the eclipse without proper viewing glasses, risking permanent injury to their corneas, and vision.
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And if you are having a eclipse-viewing party and one of your employees does injure their eyesight, that injury could end up going on your workers’ comp policy.
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If you are hosting a viewing for your staff you should provide ISO 12312-2 compliant viewing glasses. Even if you are not, you may want to consider picking some up or at least sending out a memo telling your staff to take precautions and view only with the appropriate eyewear — that means no sunglasses or welding goggles, and definitely not with the naked eye.
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Also, don’t make an viewing break or party compulsory and set clear rules for the event, including how long they can take to view the eclipse.
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