Safety Tip- Safety Glasses and Their Importance

Safety glasses are essential because a lot of work place injuries that occur are eye related. In reality, most injuries are easily avoidable by taking a couple of preventive measures. The simple fact is that lack of training and human negligence is the main contributor.

The bone structure of your face helps protects your eyes from injury due to impact from large objects. The eyelashes help protect against injury from small objects. Prevent accidents by taking proper precautions,  eyes are still very prone to injury. Eye injuries are a serious matter. Not only can an eye injury be painful, but if severe enough could cause a loss of vision. Glass fragments can be very damaging to the eye, and glass is very difficult to locate and remove, especially when in the field. Windshield repair resin and headlight restoration chemicals may also cause damage to the eye, and even the most careful technician may fall victim to a defective bottle tip, failed injector seal, or any number of other unforeseen accidents.

Protect Yourself

Statistics provided by the U.S. Department of Labor suggest thousands of consumers and employees suffer from eye injuries every year, many resulting from work related injuries incurred when workers used inadequate eye or face protection. Such injuries may result in blindness and thousands of dollars in lost production time and medical expenses.

Eye injuries in the workplace typically result in up to 20% of temporary and permanent vision loss among workers. While workplace injuries are common, there are easy to use tools available for preventing eye injury. The most common hazards associated with eye injuries on the job include:

• Airborne particles or bits of metal, glass or wood
• Tools and power equipment that elicit sparks
• Flying objects
• Radiation or UV light
• Chemicals or other corrosive substances that may spray and damage vision

It is important for employees and employers to understand the benefits of wearing adequate eye protection. Eye protection and safety glasses generally fall under the category of PPE or personal protective equipment, and generally serve to protect workers and consumers from hazards exposed to on the job.

Benefits of Safety Glasses

• Safety glasses can keep small particles entering your eyes
• Protective safety glasses are heat-resistant and protect the eyes from sparks and flames.
• Safety glasses protect your eyes from chemical splashes
• When working with any kind of equipment that may be hazardous to your eye safety, don’t forget your safety glasses.

Features of Safety Glasses by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)

Safety eye wear is not the same as regular eyeglasses. The frames are much thicker and stronger, and the lenses of safety eyeglasses are also much stronger than those of regular dress eyeglasses.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is an organization that sets standards for manufacturing of products. The ANSI has also set standards for safety eyewear. The lenses in safety eyeglasses should be impact resistant and be able to pass what is known as a ‘drop-ball’ test. In this test, a ball is dropped onto the lens of safety eyeglasses from a considerable distance. If the lens can withstand this impact, then it can be used as safety eyewear. If the lens shatters, cracks, or breaks, then it cannot be used for safety glasses.

• Frames of safety glasses are heat-resistant and prevent the lens from pushing into the eyes of the wearer.
• Most safety eyeglasses are some sort of plastic polycarbonate lenses. These are much more durable, stronger, and more impact resistant than lenses of regular eyewear.
• Safety eyewear need to fit correctly. It should not only cover your eyes fully, but also fit perfectly to cover the tops and sides of your eyes.
• Safety eyeglasses usually have the markings of the manufacturer on the lens, frames, and removable eye shields. These markings can help distinguish a pair of safety eyeglasses from other eyeglasses, and also determines whether the eyeglasses pass the standards for safety eyewear.

Information provided by the U.S. Department of Labor & American National Standards Institute