Eye Injury at Work Statistics UK: The Definitive Guide (2026)

57,000 Emergency Hospital Visits, 739 RIDDOR Reports, 1 Million Fine

Eye injuries are one of the most common and most preventable categories of workplace injury in the UK. NHS data obtained through Freedom of Information requests reveals that in a single year, over 57,000 emergency hospital visits were recorded for eye-related injuries — with more than 82,000 cases involving foreign objects entering the eye, and over 201,000 patients reporting eye pain at emergency departments. Yet only 739 eye injuries were formally reported under RIDDOR in 2023/24 — illustrating a substantial gap between the true scale of workplace eye injury and what is captured by regulatory reporting systems.

Key Facts & Figures (Overview)

The Two Categories of Workplace Eye Injury

Workplace eye injuries divide into two distinct categories, each governed by different legislation and requiring different preventive approaches.

Physical and chemical eye injuries — high-risk industrial environments: These occur in settings where particles, dust, metal swarf, chemical splash, UV radiation, or mechanical impact reach workers' eyes. In grinding, welding, woodworking, chemical handling, construction, and agriculture, the risks are well-established and the PPE requirements are clear. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 require risk assessment of chemical hazards including splash risk to eyes; the PPE at Work Regulations 1992 require employers to provide appropriate eye protection (safety glasses, goggles, or face shields) where the risk assessment identifies exposure.

The COSHH hierarchy of controls applies: eliminate the chemical hazard; substitute for a less hazardous substance; enclose the process; provide local exhaust ventilation; and only as a final measure, provide PPE. Eye protection as a sole control — without engineering measures — is not sufficient compliance with COSHH.

Digital eye strain — office and screen-based environments: The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 specifically govern the use of display screen equipment (DSE) in the workplace. Key employer obligations include:

The 65% prevalence of digital eye strain symptoms among office workers reflects both the scale of screen-based work in the modern UK economy and the extent of non-compliance with DSE Regulations across employers.

The Legal Framework

Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: Overarching employer duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare of employees — explicitly includes protecting eye health in high-risk settings.

PPE at Work Regulations 1992: Require employers to assess risks and provide suitable PPE — including eye protection — where risks cannot be adequately controlled by other means. Eye protection must be suitable for the specific hazard (impact, chemical, UV, laser), correctly maintained, and actually worn.

COSHH Regulations 2002: Require assessment of chemicals that could damage eyes, and appropriate control measures — which may include eye wash stations, emergency shower provisions, and chemical-resistant goggles.

Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992: Specific obligations for employers with DSE users — assessment, eye tests, corrective eyewear, and workstation configuration.

Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022: Extended PPE rights to workers (including agency workers, casual workers, and those on zero-hours contracts) who were previously excluded.

Written by CPD Experts

This guide was produced by the team at Online CPD Academy, a UK provider of CPD-accredited online training courses. Our DSE assessor training, COSHH awareness, and PPE compliance training supports employers in meeting their eye safety obligations across both industrial and office environments.

Sources & References