1) Your flesh does not direct IR into your eyes and it is extremely weak. This, and other IR are not directed at eyes. These systems do. Shine a torch in a dark place, illuminates, GREAT NO ISSUE. Now shine it directly into your eyes, different story. This IR is not visible, unlike other light, so you do not shield eyes.
2) If you bothered to read articles, you would have discovered that laser and IR are treated equally, in many articles it states this, including govt. websites. Therefore there is no difference in laser and IR at say 900nm.
3) Light damages the eyes, that is why it is not advisable to look at the sun! This IR is directed not ambient, thus your eyes have no option but absorb it, and as you cannot see it damage can occur. Every site you care to google will tell you this. Fact. IR in the range of 400-1400 can be dangerous to the human eye. This is the spec of the Osram emitter
https://www.osram.com/os/ecat/Platinum DRAGON® SFH 4232/com/en/class_pim_web_catalog_103489/global/prd_pim_device_2219730/
it is SFH 4232 ( datasheet) and the system has 6 of them.
4) I fail to see (pun intended) what your agenda is. If the manufacturer of the IR states it can be hazardous to the human eye, what makes you arrogant enough to think you know better?