Stylish design important when construction and industry workers protect their eyes

The construction and industry sector is one of the absolutely most accident-prone sectors. Good protection is essential for avoiding injury, but for protective eyewear to be used, stylish design is important. When eyes need protecting, a good fit and comfort are also prioritised more than price, according to a new survey by Zekler, that has mapped attitudes about safety and protection equipment at the workplace. 

Wearing protective eyewear in hazardous work environments is a prerequisite for avoiding eye injuries. However, in order to use and feel comfortable in protective eyewear, employees in the industry feel that it is important that the protection has an attractive design. Zekler's survey indicates that 44 per cent of the respondents in the Swedish construction and industry sector think that the look and design are important or very important when selecting protective eyewear.

–  We always produce protection that is safe, but we also place great importance on making the protection comfortable and stylish. "The results of the survey confirm that there is a view that design is important, which contributes to a wider use of the protection", says Jörgen Larsson, Brand Manager at Zekler.

Fit and comfort are priorities
In addition to appearance, it is important that protective eyewear has features such as a good fit. The price, on the other hand, does not affect the purchase.

Top 3 features that are requested: 1. A good fit
2. Comfortable to wear
3. A type of lens that suits my needs

Only few employees protect their eyes throughout their whole shift

Of those working in hazardous areas, only 11 per cent say that they wear protective eyewear throughout the shift.

–  A big reason why employees in the industry are not using protective eyewear throughout the shift may be because they believe they have control of the work situation. In reality, however, it is enough to be standing next to a colleague who is working on a risky job, in order to risk serious damage to the eyes. "Therefore, it is important that protection is used throughout the shift", continues Jörgen Larsson.

Response frequency and implementation
The survey was conducted on 245 people employed in small and medium-sized construction and industrial companies. Those who have responded are craftsmen, purchasers, site managers, project managers, supervisors and project managers at the middle level.

The survey is a web-based questionnaire conducted in May and June 2014 by Sverige Bygger on behalf of Skydda, which includes the Zekler brand. A majority of respondents (67 per cent) have worked in the construction and industry sector for more than 20 years. 48 per cent of respondents work for small and medium-sized companies with less than 100 employees. 

For further information, please contact:
Jörgen Larsson, Brand Manager at Zekler
E-mail: jorgen.larsson@skydda.se, telephone: +46 705 67 71 90