“Safety First” is the mantra heard in every responsible workplace – from retail and commercial facilities to outdoor worksites and industrial plants. And while we are currently experiencing a global pandemic that has everyone focused on cleaners and sanitizers, it’s important to remember that worker safety involves many other products, including safety glasses.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that 2,000 U.S. workers experience job-related eye injuries every day that require medical treatment. Safety experts and eye doctors agree that 90% of these eye injuries can be prevented simply by selecting the right kind of safety glasses for the job.
If you’re looking for the proper safety glasses for your workplace, eyewear experts recommend considering several product characteristics, including:
- Lens material Polycarbonate is perhaps the most popular material for high-performance safety glasses because it’s lightweight, scratch resistant, and stands up well to significant impacts.
- Fit Your application and workplace situation will dictate the best fit for safety glasses. If there is dust and debris in the air, it’s important to have glasses that fit more closely to the face (or even create a seal) and sufficiently cover the area around the eyes to prevent particles from reaching them. If impact is a major danger, consider glasses with sturdier frames and sufficient distance from the face to minimize injury caused by the glasses impacting the face. Regardless of the specific conditions that may dictate style and fit, ALL safety glasses must be comfortable for the user or they will not be worn.
- Performance Does the type of safety glasses being evaluated sufficiently protect the user in their surroundings? Will it provide adequate protection from harmful light, chemicals, and debris? Can it be used indoors, outdoors, or both, if necessary?
- Tinting Lenses can be clear, tinted, photochromic or polarized. Each type offers various levels of ultraviolet protection. Tinted safety glasses are marked with a “V” if they have photochromic lenses. Special-purpose tinted lenses are marked with an “S”.
Other markings on special-purpose tinted safety glasses include:
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- “W” and shade number – welding
- “U” and scale number – UV filters
- “L” number – visible light filter
- “R” and scale number – IR filter
- Anti-fogging capability Will the glasses be used in an environment that may cause eyewear to fog up? Many glasses feature anti-fogging capabilities that help ensure clear vision in harsh environments.
Safety glasses come in a wide range of styles, sizes, and materials to meet the requirements of virtually every industry and application. To make sure you select the right style, material, and brand for your specific needs, talk with the safety glasses experts here at Electronic Fasteners.
