Types of Eye Protection
Thousands of people are blinded each year from work-related eye injuries that could have been prevented with the proper selection and use of eye and face protection.
OSHA requires employers to ensure the safety of all employees in the work environment. Eye and face protection must be provided whenever necessary to protect against chemical, environmental, radiological or mechanical irritants and hazards.
OSHA publishes Notice of Proposed Rule-making updating a National Consensus Standard in its Eye and Face Protection Standards OSHA News Release, (March 13, 2015). The proposed revisions will reflect current national consensus standards and ensure that employers use up-to-date eye and face protection during hazardous workplace operations
Safety Glasses
- Made with metal/plastic safety frames
- Most operations require side shields
- Used for moderate impact from particles produced by such jobs as carpentry, woodworking, grinding, and scaling
Safety Goggles
- Protect eyes, eye sockets, and the facial area immediately surrounding the eyes from impact, dust, and splashes
- Some goggles fit over corrective lenses
Welding Shields
Protect eyes from burns caused by infrared or intense radiant light, and protect face and eyes from flying sparks, metal spatter, and slag chips produced during welding, brazing, soldering, and cutting.
Face Shields
- Protect the face from nuisance dusts and potential splashes or sprays of hazardous liquids
- Do not protect employees from impact hazards
What are some of the causes of eye injuries?
- Dust and other flying particles, such as metal shavings or sawdust
- Molten metal that might splash
- Acids and other caustic liquid chemicals that might splash
- Blood and other potentially infectious body fluids that might splash, spray, or splatter
- Intense light such as that created by welding and lasers
