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.
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.
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.
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.
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.