Safety Glasses - Eye Safety Guidelines

Texas America Safety Company Eye Safety Guidelines

Information courtesy of: Table of Contents  Eye Hazards for Emergency Response and Disaster Recovery   Four Points to Eye Safety   Types of Eye Protection   Eye Safety for Prescription Lens Wearers   First Aid for Eye Injuries  Summary Use ANSI Z87.1 certified industrial eye protection with Z87 on the frames and/or lens. Wear safety glasses with side protection at a minimum. Many workers should wear safety glasses. Consider hybrid eye safety products with comfort of glasses, the protection of goggles and better breathability. Face-shield over glasses or goggles offers greater protection. A full-face respirator offers the best protection. Welders should use a welding helmet or goggles with the appropriate lens tint. Welder's helpers, other workers, and bystanders must have welding light protection when in the vicinity of welding or torch cutting. Eye Hazards for Emergency Response and Disaster Recovery Common hazards Concrete, dust, and metal particles Shifting or falling debris, glass, or building materials Noxious/poisonous gases, smoke Chemicals (bases, acids, fuels, solvents, lime, wet or dry cement) Electrical arc and welding light Fires and thermal hazards Bloodborne pathogens (HIV or hepatitis) from blood, body fluids, human remains Common injuries Corneal abrasions and conjunctivitis (red eyes) Concrete or metal particles or slivers embedded in the eye Chemical splash or burn Welder's flashburn Eyeball laceration Facial contusion and black eye Bloodborne pathogen exposure from blood or other body fluids or human remains   Back to TOC   4 Points to Eye Safety Common hazards Have a safe work environment. Minimize falling hazards and unstable materials. Insure that tools work properly and safety features such as machine guards are in place and being utilized properly. Insure that workers and especially volunteers know how to properly use tools. Keep bystanders out of hazard areas. Evaluate your safety hazardsRequire proper eye and face protection whenever workers are in the area. Know your primary hazards. Recognize hazards from nearby workers, large machinery, and falling/shifting debris. Select the proper Z87 eye protection for the hazard. Insure the eye protection is in good condition. Insure of proper fit and that the eye protection stays in place. Recognize that eye/face protection devices should not be solely relied upon for complete protection. Have well-stocked first-aid kits readily available for eye injuries and other first aid needs.   Back to TOC   Types of Eye Protection Use certified eye protection. Always look for the Z87 mark on the lens or frames Safety glasses – minimum requirements Use safety glasses for all working conditions where there is a possibility of chips, dust, or flying particles. Always use safety glasses with side protection such as a wrap-around style or side shields. Use safety glasses that have been treated for anti-fog. Use eyewear retainer to keep the glasses fitting tight to the face or hanging from the neck when not in use. Non-prescription Safety Glasses with wrap-around side protection Prescription Safety Glasses with side shields Goggles – provide better eye protection Use goggles for higher impact protection and greater protection from chemical splash, dust, and welding light. Goggles for fine dust protection or splash protection should have indirect venting. Direct vented goggles are needed for less fogging when working with large particles. Safety goggles were designed after ski goggles with high air flow which minimizes fogging while providing better splash and particle protection.   Indirect-Vented Goggles Hybrid safety glasses and goggles afford better protection For greater impact and face protection, use a shield over safety glasses or goggles For greater impact and face protection use a shield over safety glasses/goggles Face shields - Additional protection Use face shields for highest impact, full face protection for chipping, grinding, spraying and chemical or bloodborne hazards. They may be metal coated or tinted for heat and splatter protection. The curve of the face shield directs chemicals or particles from entering the side of the lens into the eye. Clear face shields with crown protector (may be mounted on hard hat) Welding Exposure to welding light causes severe burns to the eye and surrounding tissue – sometimes called, “welder's flash”. Lens for welding light protection must be marked with the shade number 1.5-14; 14 is the darkest shade. Protect the eyes even when helmet is lifted up. Protect the welder, welder's helper and bystanders. Respirators – full face and half-mask Full-face respirators provide best dust, smoke and chemical protection (respirators may not be Z87 compliant for impact protection). When using half-face respirators, it must not interfere with the proper positioning of the eye protection. Use the darkest shade possible Torch soldering 1.5-3 Torch brazing/cutting 3-6 Gas welding 4-8 Electric arc welding 10-14 Use Z136 eye protection for laser light hazards (NOT Z87)   Back to TOC   Eye Safety for Prescription Lens Wearers Use polycarbonate lenses for the best impact protection in prescription safety glasses. Prescription Safety Glasses Workers who wear prescription glasses should wear tightfitting goggles over their normal glasses or contact lenses. Use polycarbonate lenses for the best impact protection in prescription safety glasses. Goggles should be worn over prescription safety glasses in high dust areas. If worn alone, prescription glasses must have side shields. Prescription safety lenses with acrylic plastic lenses or tempered glass are not suitable for high impact. They should not be used when working in debris areas unless covered by face shield or goggles. Polycarbonate lenses with hard-coating to reduce scratching should be used when working in high impact areas. Contact lenses might present a significant corneal abrasion risk when working in dusty areas unless full-face respirator or tightfitting goggles are worn. Full-face respirators will not seal properly over safety glasses or streetwear glasses. Prescription inserts compatible with a respirator should be used and should be professionally fitted. Use ANSI Z87.1 Certified Safety Protection Always look for the Z87 mark on the frame or lens CAUTION: Shake, brush, or vacuum dust and debris from hardhats, forehead, hair, or the tip of the eye protection before removing protection to prevent foreign substances in the eye. Clean eyewear regularly. Beware of rubbing eyes with dirty hands or clothing.   Back to TOC   First Aid for Eye Injuries Specks in the Eye DO NOT RUB EYES! Use an eye wash; flush eye copiously. Contact a doctor if the speck does not wash out or if pain or redness continues Cuts, punctures, objects stuck in the eye. Do not wash out the eye! Do not try to remove an object stuck in the eye. Stabilize the eye with a rigid shield without pressure such as using the bottom half of a paper cup. SEE A DOCTOR AT ONCE! Chemical Burns Immediately flush eye with water or any drinkable liquid. Open the eye as wide as possible. Continue flushing for at least 15 minutes. For caustic or basic solutions continue flushing while in route to doctor. If a contact lens is in the eye, begin flushing over the lens immediately. Flushing may dislodge the lens. See a doctor at once. Blows to the eye Apply cold compress without pressure. Crushed ice compress such as in a plastic bag can be taped to the forehead to rest gently on the injured eye. See a doctor at once in cases of reduced vision, continued pain, blood in the eye or discoloration which can mean internal eye damage.   Back to TOC   Texas America Safety Company   4400 Danhil Drive   Brownwood, TX 76801     Toll Free 1-800-646-5346   Outside US 1-325-646-5346   Local 325-646-5346   Fax 1-325-646-3790 sales@tasco-safety.com