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Eye and Face Protection

Thousands of people are blinded each year from work-related eye injuries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nearly three out of five workers are injured while failing to wear eye and face protection.

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Eye and Face Protection

Are you in danger of becoming a statistic?

Are you wearing the proper protective

equipment?

What is your employer’s responsibility?

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OSHA & BS Requirements

OSHA / BS Standards
Training and Qualifications
Criteria for PPE
Contacts and Prescription (Rx) Lenses
Protecting Employees from Workplace Hazards

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OSHA Standards

The following OSHA/BS standards provide mandatory requirements and compliance assistance for employers when selecting proper eye and face protection:

1910.132 - General requirements
1910.133 - General Industry
1915.153 - Maritime
1926.102 - Construction
1910.252 - Welding, Cutting, and Brazing
BS 2092 - Eye Protection

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Training and Qualification

When PPE is necessary
What PPE is necessary
How to properly don, doff, adjust, and wear PPE
The limitations of the PPE
The proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of the PPE

Employees shall be trained to know at least the following:

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Training and Qualification

Changes in the workplace
Changes in the types of PPE to be used
Inadequacies in an affected employee’s knowledge or use of assigned PPE indicate that the employee has not retained the requisite understanding or skill

Retraining is required, but not limited to, the following situations:

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PPE Requirements

Eye and face protection must comply with the;

American National Standards Institute

- ANSI Z87.1-1989

British Standards BS 2092

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PPE Requirements

Protectors must:

Provide adequate protection against the particular hazards for which they are designed
Be of safe design and construction for the work to be performed
Be reasonably comfortable
Fit snugly and shall not unduly interfere with the movements of the wearer
Be durable
Be capable of being disinfected
Be easily cleanable
Be distinctly marked

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Contacts and Rx Lenses

Employers must ensure that employees who wear prescription (Rx) lenses or contacts use PPE that incorporates the prescription or use eye protection that can be worn over prescription lenses.

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Protecting Employees from Workplace Hazards

Employees must be provided with eye and face protection equipment when machines or operations present potential eye or face injury from physical, chemical, or radiation agents.

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Protecting Employees from Workplace Hazards

PPE devices alone should not be relied on to provide protection against hazards, but should be used in conjunction with guards, engineering controls, and sound manufacturing practices.

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Selecting PPE for the Workplace

The employer must assess the workplace and determine if hazards that necessitate the use of eye and face protection are present, or are likely to be present, before assigning PPE to workers.

A hazard assessment determines the risk of exposure to eye and face hazards, including emergency situations.

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Hazard Assessment

Hazard Type	Hazard Type	Common related tasks
Impact	Flying objects such as large chips, fragments, particles, sand, and dirt.	Chipping, grinding, machining, masonry work, wood working, sawing, drilling, riveting, sanding, etc.
Heat	Anything emitting extreme heat.	Furnace operations, pouring, casting, hot dipping, welding, etc.
Chemicals	Splash, fumes, vapors, and irritating mists.	Acid and chemical handling, degreasing, plating, and working with blood.
Dust	Harmful dust.	Woodworking, buffing, and general dusty conditions.
Optical Radiation	Radiant energy, glare, and intense light	Welding, torch-cutting, -brazing, -soldering, and laser work.

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Impact Hazards: Safety Spectacles

Safety spectacles are intended to shield the wearer's eyes from impact hazards such as flying fragments, objects, large chips, and particles.

Workers are required to use eye safety spectacles with side shields when there is a hazard from flying objects.

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Impact Hazards: Safety Goggles

Safety goggles are intended to shield the wearer's eyes from impact hazards such as flying fragments, objects, large chips, and particles.

Goggles fit the face immediately surrounding the eyes and form a protective seal around the eyes. This prevents objects from entering under or around the goggles.

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Impact Hazards: Face Shields

Face shields are intended to protect the entire face, or portions thereof, from impact hazards such as flying fragments, objects, large chips, and particles.

When worn alone, face shields do not protect employees from impact hazards. Use face shields in combination with safety spectacles or goggles for additional protection.

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Heat Hazards: Safety Spectacles

Safety spectacles with side shields are used as primary protection to shield the eyes from heat hazards.

To adequately protect the eyes and face from high temperature exposure, use safety spectacles in combination with a heat-reflective face shield.

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Heat Hazards: Safety Goggles

Safety goggles are used as primary protection to shield the eyes from heat hazards. Goggles form a protective seal around the eyes, preventing objects or liquids from entering under or around the goggles. This is especially important when working with or around molten metals that may splash.

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Heat Hazards: Face Shields

Heat-reflective and wire-screen face shields are intended to shield the entire face from a range of heat hazards.

Face shields are considered secondary protectors to be used in addition to primary protection such as safety spectacles or goggles.

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Chemical Hazards: Safety Goggles

Safety goggles protect the eyes, eye sockets, and the facial area immediately surrounding the eyes from a variety of chemical hazards. Goggles form a protective seal around the eyes, preventing objects or liquids from entering under or around the goggles.

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Chemical Hazards: Face Shields

Face shields are intended to protect the entire face from a variety of chemical hazards.

All face shields are considered secondary protection and must be used in addition to safety goggles to provide adequate protection.

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Dust Hazards: Safety Goggles

Goggles form a protective seal around the eyes, preventing nuisance dust from entering under or around the goggles. Ventilation should be adequate, but well protected from dust entry.

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Optical Radiation: Filter Lenses

Wearing protection with the correct filter shade number is required to protect workers’ eyes from optical radiation. When selecting PPE, consider the type and degree of radiant energy in the workplace.

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Optical Radiation: Welding

Welding helmets are secondary protectors intended to shield the eyes and face from optical radiation, heat, and impact.

Use welding helmets in addition to primary protection such as safety spectacles or goggles to provide adequate protection.

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Optical Radiation: Lasers

Workers with exposure to laser beams must be furnished suitable laser safety goggles which will:

Protect for the specific wavelength of the laser
Be of optical density adequate for the energy involved

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Optical Radiation: Glare

Control Glare with:

Special-Purpose Spectacles that include filter or special-purpose lenses to provide protection against eye strain.
Changes in your work area or lighting
Tinted eyeglass lenses or visor-type shade

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Human Eye

Although protected in its circle of bone, the eye and surrounding areas are still vulnerable to blows, foreign particles, cuts, burns, and chemical irritants. In these cases, treatment during the first few moments after injury can be essential to saving sight.

A foreign body to the eye should not be taken as a casual occurrence. Consider the following:

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Human Eye

Consider the following:

Foreign bodies often have various industrial contaminates on them that may damage the eye and or vision

Early removal is critical! The eye protects it’s self by growing over (encapsulating) the foreign body

Removal of embedded or grown over foreign bodies require a surgical / medical procedure

REMEMBER: REPORT ALL INJURIES NO MATTER HOW MINOR WHEN THEY OCCUR.

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FIRST AID – Foreign Body

What to do if you get something in your

eye.

Do not touch or rub your eye! This can imbed the object more deeply, making it more difficult to remove.
Keep your eye closed as much as possible. Blinking only increases the irritation.
Do not try to remove the object yourself. This is very dangerous and could make the problem worse.
Report to the First Aid department immediately.

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FIRST AID – Chemical Burns

How to Treat Eye Injuries from Chemical Burns.

First 10-15 seconds are most critical�
Wash eyes for 15 minutes using emergency eyewash �equipment�
Report to health care provider

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Things to think about…

WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING TODAY ?

WILL YOU BE:

using a power tool?
drilling?
working overhead?
working near somebody who is using a power tool, welding, drilling, soldering, grinding, or working overhead?

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You Can Prevent Eye Injuries

If you are unsure if your eyes are properly protected, talk to your supervisor about it.

Know and utilize proper Donning and Doffing procedures for selected eye protection.
Never remove protective equipment that guards you from airborne particles.�
Inform co-workers of situations that could damage their eyes.�

There is no excuse for not wearing the proper protective

eyewear.

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