Belmont tradie Rye Manganelli’s warning this Tradies National Health Month

A Belmont tradie is warning others to be safe on the job site after an injury served him a “serious reality check”.

Rye Manganelli acquired an eye injury working as a tradie. Picture: Alan Barber

Belmont tradie Rye Manganelli was served a “serious reality check” when metal debris flew in to his eye while on the job.

The commercial refrigeration mechanic was drilling a hole through a panel when a piece of metal debris landed in his eye about two years ago.

Mr Manganelli, now 29, said being a bit of a younger bloke and thinking he was invincible, he was not wearing eye protection at the time.

He said sustaining the injury “killed” and he narrowly missed any “real damage”.

He visited Specsavers and the metal, tucked between his lower eyelid and eyeball, was extracted.

Rye Manganelli is urging others to take precautions, saying “you’re not as tough as you think you are”. Picture: Alan Barber

The incident was a “hard learnt lesson”.

Mr Manganelli said he had a pair of safety glasses with him at all times while working now.

This August, which is Tradies National Health Month, Mr Manganelli is urging others to take precautions.

“You only get one set of eyes and you’re not as tough as you think you are,” he said.

Health professionals are calling on Geelong tradespeople to be vigilant in looking after their eyes and ears on the job to avoid long term, often preventable, and in some cases irreversible, damage.

Research from Specsavers found younger tradies, aged 18 to 34, were already reporting concerns over worksite damage, with 75 per cent of those who worked outside concerned they could have sun damage to their eyes; 37 per cent already incurring a workplace eye injury that required medical attention; and 53 per cent saying their hearing has worsened over time.

But 26 per cent rarely or only occasionally wore protective goggles or sunglasses onsite, and 70 per cent were not always wearing hearing protection.

Waurn Ponds Specsavers optometrist David Truong said: “We would really like all tradies – particularly those aged 18-34 – to understand the importance of taking preventive measures to look after their hearing and eyesight.”

“Once you lose it, there is no getting it back,” he warned.

“We often see older tradies come in citing their workplaces as the reason for their

hearing being worse than it used to be or attributing work-related sun damage to their eyes.

“Taking small precautions like putting on a pair of polarised sunglasses to protect your eyes from UV rays, or safety goggles to protect your eyes from debris and dust, and donning earmuffs when working with loud machinery to prevent damage to your hearing can help protect you for years to come.

“These preventive measures can make the world of difference and save you from

experiencing a decline in your eyesight or hearing, which are both pivotal to your quality of life.”

Originally published as Belmont tradie Rye Manganelli’s warning this Tradies National Health Month