Eye Protection

Eye and face protection are critical components of any safety program. Each year, more than 800,000 work-related eye injuries occur (that’s about 2,000 a day.) Many of these injuries are temporarily disabling, while some result in permanent vision loss.

How do you avoid becoming part of that statistic? By choosing and wearing the right eye and face protection for your job. Before choosing your eye and face protection, look around your work area. What hazards do you need to protect yourself against? Dust? Metal chips? Dirt particles? Liquid splash? Chemical splash?

Based on your job site hazards, we can recommend the eye and face protection products that will provide the best level of protection for you.

• Safety spectacles are intended to shield your eyes from impact hazards, such as flying fragments, objects, large chips, and particles.
• Safety goggles shield your eyes from flying fragments, objects, large chips, and particles. They fit the area of your face immediately surrounding your eyes and form a protective seal around your eyes. This prevents objects from entering under or around the goggles. Safety goggle frames must be properly fitted to your face to form a protective seal around your eyes. Poorly fitted goggles won’t offer the necessary level of protection.
• Safety goggles with eye cups completely cover your eye sockets, are available with direct or indirect ventilation, and may be rigid or flexible.
• Cover safety goggles may be worn over corrective eyewear without disturbing the adjustment of the eyewear. They are available in direct, indirect, or non-ventilated types, and may be flexible or rigid.
• Face shields are designed to protect your entire face, or portions of it, from impact hazards, such as flying fragments, objects, large chips, and particles. When worn alone, face shields do not protect you from impact hazards. Face shields must be worn with ANSI-approved safety glasses or goggles to comply with OSHA standards.

The main protection factor in all safety eyewear is the lens. Most, if not all, safety eyewear has polycarbonate lenses. Polycarbonate lenses are lighter and thinner than plastic and glass lenses and provide 10 times more impact resistance. Plus, polycarbonate, regardless of lens color, provides 99.9% protection against the sun’s harmful UV light. Even if your safety glasses have clear lenses, you’re still protected against UV rays.

Don’t become a tragic statistic. Your eyesight is too precious to take chances with. Be sure you wear the eye and face protection that will safeguard it. We’re here to help you choose the eye and face protection to fit your specific needs.

Sources: www.allaboutvision.com, www.osha.gov, National Safety Council

Product Spotlight