Safety glasses:
The use of safety glasses is one of the requirements in a workplace, and among the PPE an employer must provide for the employees at no cost. Safety glasses are essential for shielding your eyes from hazards in the workshop or at a bustling construction site. They’re not like the usual fashion glasses but are explicitly designed to keep a worker’s Vision safe in a hazardous environment. Safety glasses have many components, all designed to play a vital role in protecting the eye.
What are safety glasses made of?
Various materials are used to make safety glasses, and they are chosen based on their strength, clarity, and resistance to impact and chemicals. These materials protect the eyes from flying debris, chemicals, or harmful radiation. They include Lenses, Frames and Cool features and coatings.
1. Lenses
- Polycarbonate:
Lenses made from polycarbonate mainly protect the eye from an impact in a manner that ordinary glass will not do. It is made up of thermoplastics. It is lightweight and blocks harmful UV rays.
- Trivex:
Trivex material delivers a more precise and sharper Vision than polycarbonate. It resists scratches and sometimes has photochromic technology. The photochromic technology makes lenses automatically darken in bright sunlight. It is already gaining popularity in the market.
2. Frames
- Polycarbonate:
Frames made from polycarbonate are solid and resilient, just like the way polycarbonate lenses are.
- Nylon:
Nylon material gives flexibility and toughness. Most people in sports make it their choice. The frames made with nylon can withstand the demands of athletic activity and bend, too.
- Grilamid:
Remarkably lightweight, it is nylon but takes comfort to an excellent level. The wearers of safety glasses made up of Grilamid frames enjoy the comfort they bring and can withstand long periods of wear.
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3. Cool features and coatings.
Safety glasses have some other features that you can see in them, too, and they include
- Anti-scratch coatings:
The anti-scratch coatings prevent the safety glasses from getting scratched and keep them crystal clear for long. Anti-scratch-resistant coatings prevent scratches.
- Anti-fog coatings:
Anti-fog coatings prevent fog from occurring in the glasses and make the wearer see even in hot and humid environments
- Mirrored Coatings:
The mirrored Coatings help to reduce glare for better visual comfort when working in extremely bright conditions.
- Side Shield:
The side shield offers protection against flying debris from getting to the eye from the sides. They are integrated Shields wrapped around the size of your glasses.
Conclusion.
Remember, safety glasses are not just a fashion statement. They are a crucial accessory that should never be worn carelessly. They protect against flying debris or chemical exposure to the eye. When next you want to carry out that task in the workplace, ask yourself if there is a need for the safety glasses at the zone and if your answer is yes, please make sure that you put them on to protect the most valuable asset you have in your body, your eye.
Frequently asked questions about safety glasses.
1. Do I need to wear safety glasses under a welding helmet?
Wearing glasses under a welding helmet is a good habit to ensure you are always well-protected.
2. Do clear safety glasses have UV protection?
There is a type of glass lens that protects from UV radiation; some clear safety glasses are designed to protect against UV radiation. More so, not all tinted safety glasses protect the eye against UV radiation. The tint filters out glare and enables better Vision.
3. Is it wrong to wear safety glasses all day?
Wearing safety glasses all day is significant as long as you do work that requires you to wear them. More so, find a pair of glasses that also provide the correct fit and comfort.
4. What are the most comfortable glasses in use?
Certain features make a safety glass to be a comfortable one. Those features include a good fit, a lightweight, slimline to walk with while wearing other safety gear, flexible temples to diffuse pressure spots, and a larger feet lens to prevent dust and particles.
5. Can you get a welding flash while wearing safety glasses?
Yes, you can get a welding flash while wearing safety glasses. However, it is advisable to wear an auto-darkening welding helmet in addition to safety glasses during welding activity to prevent a welding flash from happening.
6. How do I stop my glasses from fogging up?
Fogging up is dangerous and very annoying. So, the best way to stop glasses from fogging up is to buy glasses with anti-fogging coating, clean your glasses carefully, and ensure you replace warm, scratched, or broken glasses with a fresh new pair.
7.What are the common hazards that the safety glasses can protect an individual from?
The common hazards are impact, intense light, radiation, chemicals, droplets, dust, and airborne substances.
8.What are the safety standards for eyeglasses?
The two prominent standards for safety eyeglasses are ANSI and OSHA standards. OSHA is the body that enforces occupational health and safety standards in the USA. The ANSI is the American National Standard Institute, a body that ensures that manufacturing standards are maintained across all products to ensure they meet the minimum level of effectiveness.
9.How do you identify a safety glass?
Every safety glass must have a marking on either the frame’s arm or the lens’s right side. You’ll see a + sign when the eyeglasses pass a high-impact standard.
10.Where should safety glasses be worn?
Safety glasses should be worn in an environment where there is a risk of the eye being exposed to harmful particles, chemicals, UV rays, sparks, debris, etc.
11.Can I wear my glass as a safety glass?
Regular glasses are not safety glasses unless they are ANSI-rated. However, safety glasses are meant to protect the eye against the risk of debris.
12.What happens when you don’t wear safety glasses?
When you don’t wear safety glasses on the job that requires safety glasses, you are risking permanent eye damage and consequent blindness.
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Onyeka Emma is a QHSE Professional with more than 10 years of experience in occupational health and safety, which spans many industries such as construction, beverage, oil and gas, etc. He has many health and safety certifications, including NEBOSH IGC, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, and ISO 45001:2018 Lead auditor certificate. A member of IOSH, ISPON, and Nigeria Red Cross Society. He is interested in business, entrepreneurship, Speaking, and motivating people to do better for themselves. He enjoys leisure with a good motivational book.
