Eye Protection
Safety goggles and more
In environments where machinery, power tools, industrial chemicals and hazardous materials are heavily used, workers are at risk of injuring their eyes and faces unless they wear protective gear. Nearly 1,000 eye injuries occur in American workplaces on a daily basis, causing considerable pain to the victims and resulting in a shocking $300 million per year in injury-related costs for employers, including medical expenses and lost production time.
Protective eyewear can be effective at reducing accidents caused by sharp projectiles, chemical contamination, ultra-bright light and flying sparks or fragments. Safety gear is essential for tradespeople, machinists, athletes and lab technicians, and can include protective features specific to various work environments. Eye protection can be supplemented with hearing protection when necessary.
Made from materials like polycarbonate, propionate and steel or nylon mesh, eye protection can be as simple as basic safety glasses or consist of a full helmet with a face shield. Most injuries are caused by flying objects travelling at high speeds, which strike the face with heavy impact. Thus, effective safety goggles should fit snugly and be made with shatterproof glass and side shields to protect the eyes at all angles. In laboratory settings, features such as splash guards also prevent vapors and chemical irritants from entering the eyes. For high-risk manufacturing environments, specialty shields such as welding helmets guard the eyes from infrared or ultraviolet light.
Although the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that employers provide adequate eye and face protection, many workers are given the wrong type of protection or choose not to wear any in certain situations. While you can avoid some accidents by reacting quickly, in most cases there is little or no warning before the injury occurs.
Custom safety glasses are also available, and you can order larger models to wear over prescription glasses. Depending on the type of work, safety glasses may need to be paired with a face shield for maximum coverage. For assistance in determining the kind of eyewear you need, visit the OSHA website online or a local branch office.
Why Are Eye Protectors Essential for Safety?
- Inadequate facial coverage can lead to permanent deformation, blindness or death.
- Based on statistics collected from victims of workplace eye injuries, OSHA estimates that appropriate eyewear could prevent 90 percent of eye-related industrial accidents.
- It is not always possible to react before injury occurs.
Things to Consider When Buying Eye Protection
- What type of eye protection is the best, considering your work environment?
- Is there adequate ventilation to prevent condensation on the lenses?
- Does the manufacturer design products that meet the American National Standards Institute’s criteria?
Top Brands for Eye Protection
- DeWalt safety goggles
- Pyramex safety glasses
- Elvex face shields
