NIOSH and Industrial Safety Glasses

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is very influential in providing information and standards for safety eyewear. Their comments cover all the industries that inherently dictate the use of safety glasses or goggles. Like the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), they have found that the majority of eye injuries and abrasions are caused by flying small particles created by job duties such as cutting wood, metal, or cement. Even otherwise harmless dust, when put in motion by job activities, can cause serious injuries to the sensitive regions in the eye. NIOSH, like OSHA, recommends safety glasses with side shields as their data suggests that particulates can still damage your eyes even when they don’t impact you directly.

In conjunction with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) studies, NIOSH strongly cautions medical workers, animal handlers, laboratory staff, and even janitorial employees to use protective eyewear, not just for impact-related dangers, but to prevent the transfer of infectious diseases that can be spread to you through your exposed mucous membranes in your eyes. Simple blood spatters, coughing, and sneezing can transfer disease to your eyes should one of these come in direct contact.

Through their “Eye Safety Tool Box Talk” publication, NIOSH, in partnership with OSHA and ANSI (American National Standards Institute), identifies hazards, standards (ANSI Z87.1 Eye and Face Protection Standard), and effective training for all employees to help protect and safeguard their eyes at their workplace.

Some Companies Offering Good Safety Glasses

There are some well known companies and some lesser known firms offering excellent products in the safety eyewear industry. When you look for good protective eyewear, your potential problem is not too few choices, but possibly too many. Much like the everyday eyewear industry, the amazing choices of lenses, tinting, and frames is so vast, it can be confusing. Yet, having many choices should ensure you find the exact safety glasses you need.

ABC Safety Glasses is one of the large websites offering many varieties from both major companies (DeWalt safety glasses, Uvex safety glasses, Smith & Wesson, etc.) and less well known sources (American Allsafe, Edge, Radians, etc.). All of their offerings are ANSI safety glasses (approved by the American National Standards Institute) and OSHA safety glasses (meeting the standards of the Occupational Safety & Health Administration).

Aearo safety glasses, a division of Aearo Technologies, produces excellent safety eyewear, normally marketed under the AO Safety name. They offer excellent and stylish safety goggles and glasses, including safety glasses side shields, safety reading glasses, sports safety glasses and goggles, cutting safety glass (critical to welders, laser cutting work, etc.), wide varieties of tints, and both clear and prescription safety glasses.

3M safety glasses are also offered in excellent quality and a wide selection of styles, tints, and types of hard-coated polycarbonate lenses. Long recognized as a dependable manufacturer, their safety eyewear meets or exceeds all OSHA and ANSI (their Standard for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection) standards.

Because the Internet can be so efficient, use the web to window shop the hundreds of available choices for protective eyewear. Ask your peers what favorites they have. Also search for distributors that allow you to purchase wholesale safety glasses. You want the best safety eyewear you can afford and saving money could be an added positive.

Hazards That Require Safety Glasses

When considering the potential hazards you may face at work, at home, or on the field of play, you must be both honest and thorough. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has identified five primary dangers to your eyes:

• Impact
• Heat
• Chemicals
• Dust
• Optical radiation

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) performed its own study on eye accidents and protection. They learned the following:

• Accidents and eye protection – 60% of accidents resulted from workers not wearing any protection – 40% resulted from wearing the wrong type of eye protection.
• Flying objects, particles, and sparks – around 70% of all eye accidents resulted from these – 60% of the objects were smaller than a pin head and traveling faster than an object thrown by hand.
• Craft type work and machinery operation – over 40% of injuries happened to craft workers (mechanics, carpenters, plumbers, etc.) – around 20% of accidents occurred with laborers – around 50% of the workers were in manufacturing and more than 20% were involved in construction.
• No eye protection training – almost 40% of injured workers received no eye protection training.
• Chemical contact – caused about 20% of all eye injuries in the workplace.

As you can see, safety eyewear is critical in many situations. From simple anti-fog safety glasses to lighted safety glasses to laser safety goggles, the type of safety glasses is just as important as their use. Identify the threats in your job situation and use protective eyewear that is appropriate for your job.

OSHA’s Position on Safety Glasses

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has addressed both the variety of threats and minimum standards for safety glasses. The five major dangers to your eyes per OSHA studies

• Impact – Flying objects and particles.
• Heat – Anything that gives off dangerous heat.
• Chemicals – Includes flashes, fumes, and vapors.
• Dust – Otherwise harmless particulates that can damage sensitive eyes.
• Optical radiation – Everything from simple glare to intense light.

It is critical that you select safety eyewear that protects you against the threats you face. OSHA has published standards for protective eyewear based on the type of hazard that might affect you. NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health) also has safety eyewear standards that should help you select the correct protection for your job site. The most important consideration is always to protect yourself against the specific threats you face in the workplace. Use OSHA recommendations and standards as a guideline for selecting the best solution that works for you.

Safety is always the most important evaluation factor but your job duties should still be accomplished with OSHA standards and your personal comfort in mind. OSHA has studied massive amounts of data and tested many examples of safety glasses. Use their information to help protect your eyes.

Safety Glasses Made for Women

Safety eyewear is not restricted to the male domain as there are now safety glasses for women available. As more females have entered the construction and medical industries as well as the sporting world, safety goggles and glasses have followed this growth. Have your doubts? Consider this recently published fact: 80% of the women questioned in a survey stated they were going to begin a home improvement project. 75% of these women stated they were going to do it themselves! Look around and notice the ever increasing number of women at major construction sites, highway improvement locations, and on many subcontractor projects.

Safety glasses for women are made with smaller, sometimes with more fashionable frames, fitting the smaller structure of most women’s faces. For female children from the early years through high school and college, women athletes can choose from a good selection of safety glasses or goggles. Whether she needs clear or prescription safety glasses, safety sunglasses, or lab safety glasses, women can now find quality eyewear made just for them.

Among the many companies offering safety glasses for women are Uvex, Elvex, Smith & Wesson, Crews, 3M, and Allsafe to name just a few. Females can also get laser protective eyewear and units with safety glasses side shields should their circumstances dictate these items. The first key is to protect yourself correctly. Then women can select safety eyewear that fits their faces properly and looks good, too!

Safety Glasses That Help Sight Issues

In addition to pure eye protection, you can select both bifocal safety glasses and prescription safety glasses. First you want American National Standards Institute (ANSI) safety glasses or American Optical safety glasses to protect you against the hazards that may occur at your workplace. Never trust the protection of your eyesight to cheap safety glasses. Also, use the correct items for your workplace. If you need laboratory safety glasses or lab safety goggles, don’t spend your money on welding safety glasses. Both types are excellent but they are designed to protect against different hazards.

After you know the type of safety eye-wear you need, you must decide whether you need bifocal safety glasses or even prescription safety glasses. In addition to being good industrial safety glasses, these units will help improve your eyesight while working. If your eyesight is not perfect, yet not horrendous, a good pair of bifocal safety glasses might be enough to complete both general work duties and also handle close up detail work without changing eye protection. Should you need eyesight correction but wear comfortable contact lenses that bring your sight close to perfect, a set of clear safety glasses or goggles might be sufficient.

However, if you wear eyeglasses in your everyday life, clear safety glasses are not enough. You might look a bit odd wearing two pairs of glasses at the same time. Therefore, consider a good pair of prescription safety glasses that are effective, stylish, and still provide excellent protection when you buy safety glasses. You can also purchase tinted lenses to reduce glare and low level solar radiation.

Evaluating Safety Eyewear

You should consider the following when evaluating safety eyewear:

1. What hazards are you subject to? Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) identifies five primary threats (impact, heat, chemicals, dust, and optical radiation) to consider.
2. Are safety glasses or safety goggles the best choice? Is one more comfortable or appropriate to the hazards you might face?
3. Do you need clear or prescription safety glasses? If you need corrective lenses, should you use your own or use corrective safety eye protection? Are bifocal safety glasses the best choice for you?

OSHA approved safety glasses are available from a wide variety of companies to satisfy your every need. Some will be more comfortable than others just as every day eyewear becomes a very personal choice when purchasing new frames and lenses. The primary consideration should always relate to having the best protection against the potential workplace threats you face on a daily basis.

Your choices may appear daunting at times. For instance, Crews safety glasses, a major supplier of excellent OSHA safety glasses, offers over 12 different styles of safety glasses and goggles. Uvex Safety Glasses, another well respected protective eyewear firm, offers another wide variety of design choices.

Your choice of eyewear, whether clear safety glasses, bifocal safety glasses, or prescription safety glasses, becomes more complex if your eyesight needs correction. Make a careful evaluation of your choices. For example, if you wear contact lenses that you find very comfortable, clear or polarized safety glasses may be a better choice since your eyesight is already corrected. If you wear glasses regularly, you should consider prescription safety glasses so you can perform your job effectively.

The Genesis Uvex Safety Glasses

When it comes to protective eyewear, the Genesis Uvex safety glasses contain a host of features that make it a strong piece of equipment. The Genesis Uvex safety glasses, first and foremost, provide a level of protection that exceeds the current industry standards for impact resistance. In addition, these Uvex safety glasses remain comfortable for all day usage due to features like their adjustable temples, cushioned brow and flexible nose bridge. The Genesis Uvex safety glasses are also available in a range of frame and lens color choices. Choose from a clear lens with black frame or an amber lens with a vapor blue frame. The Genesis Uvex safety glasses are a protective eyewear product that is practical, provides all day comfort and has a stylish appearance, as well.

Crews Safety Glasses For Professional Protective Eyewear

If you’re looking for professional grade protective eyewear, one place to look is at Crews safety glasses. Crews Incorporated has over two decades of experience providing protective eyewear suitable for industrial applications. More recently, Crews has merged with two other divisions, Memphis Glove and River City, to form MCR Safety, a provider of all forms of safety equipment.

You’ll find that Crews safety glasses have stylish choices that meet or exceed ANSI standards. For instance, the Triwear Metal frames feature a sleek design and colored metal frame with 180 degrees of visibility through their lenses. The tremor safety glasses fit over a hard hat, come with a scratch resistant coating and have a hinge-free frame to protect your glasses from impact.

Bifocal Safety Glasses Make The Perfect All-In-One Solution

If you’ve ever had to deal with the inconvenience of switching out your bifocals for your safety glasses or had the cumbersome experience of wearing your reading glasses beneath your safety glasses, there is a better way to see and keep your eyes protected. Bifocal safety glasses provide a solution to the dilemma of switching between glasses so you can see or wearing safety glasses to protect your eyes. Bifocal safety glasses work by providing magnification at just a portion of the lens so that you can use the bifocal capability when you need it. Bifocal safety glasses come with designs suited to your specific needs. Some bifocal safety glasses have magnification at just the bottom portion of the lens while others have the magnification at the top and bottom of the lens. You’ll also be able to choose from a range of magnifications from brands like Smith & Wesson and Pyramex.

Better safety than sorry

There's no two ways about it. When it comes to protecting your eyes, you can't be too careful. Especially when you're around power tools or machinery that throw off all kinds of nasty stuff. That's why safety glasses are required by law at job sites where dodging solid or liquid airborne particulates is all in a day‘s work. Obviously, there's no Federal mandate for you when doing home improvement projects on your own time, but common sense dictates that you work smart and protect your eyes. Crew safety glasses, Wolverine glasses, and DeWalt safety glasses offer strong, lightweight safety eye glasses that will shield your eyes…and look good doing it.

Foreign Object In The Eye

If a foreign object enters your eye, the best thing to not panic and rub the eye. Panicking can cause the pieces of metal or wood to become further lodged inside the eye, or cause a cut or an abrasion of the soft eye tissue.

All areas should contain an eye wash station or eye wash bottle in which the solution can be used to flood the eye. The head should be tilted slightly so that the particle drains away while washing. Repeat the eyewash again. If this fails to dislodge the particles after two washings, it is strongly advised you seek medical treatment.

It is important to remember two things in situations such as these – use only isotonic solution in the eyewash, and if it feels the particle is still present – consult a doctor immediately. A doctor should also be consulted when there are changes to vision or the appearance of the eyes.

The blunt truth about eye injury

Surprisingly, most eye injuries are not the "poke-in-the-eye with a sharp stick" variety. Ophthalmologists say that most eye injuries are caused by blunt objects larger than the orbital opening.(the bony ridge that your eyebrow sits on). This is the most common type of eye injury in assault, falls in the elderly, airbag impacts, and sports such as baseball, basketball (hands and elbows), racket sports, and soccer (the soccer ball). While these injuries are often mild and do not usually involve rupture of the eye, they sometimes have serious consequences such as retinal detachment, cataract, blow-out fracture (fracture of the thin bone beneath the eye), or retinal scarring leading to loss of central vision. Fortunately, doctors say, 90% of these injuries can be prevented by wearing safety glasses

Industrial strength protection

For industrial and shop use, you need industrial-strength eye protection. Look for safety glasses that feature a 3-mm polycarbonate lens inserted into an ANSI Z87 frame with side shields. Goggles or face shields may be required for some industrial applications. A sunglass or spectacle lens could comply with the ANSI Z80 or Z87 standard and still not have sufficient impact resistance to the forces commonly encountered from airbags, falls, industry, sports, or military activities.

Stop fogging up on the job

You got your safety eye glasses on. You're at one with your power tool, gittin' er done, when suddenly the fog rolls in and you can‘t see what you‘re doing. Well, you can keep from fogging up on the job by getting yourself a pair of Crews Triwear safety glasses with polycarbonate lenses and frames. These anti fog safety spectacles are available from manufacturers like Crews, Pyramex, and De Walt. The fog free coating absorbs cold and heat to keep the lense nice and clear. Try a pair out!

Avoid glaring errors. Get polarized.

Airborne flotsam and jetsam isn't the only stuff that can do a number on our eyes. Glare from reflecting surfaces can cause eyestrain and prevent us from focusing on the job at hand or enjoying outdoor activities. Besides being super durable and scratch-resistant, polycarbonate safety glasses lenses provide built-in protection against harmful ultra-violet rays as well as greater visual acuity. These so-called polarized lenses work similar to a Venetian blind in that they let in light at certain angles only. Without the sun's glare, objects become more distinct and are seen in their true colors. If you work or play outdoors, polarized safety glasses are just what the ophthalmologist ordered.

Eye Injuries

Various injuries can result if the proper safety glasses are not worn, or if they are not worn at all. The most common eye injuries are:

· Cuts or abrasions to the cornea
· Particles embedded in the eye
· Chemical burns from splashes and spills
· Red eyes resulting from corneal inflammation
· Eye Contusions

It should be known this list represents only a small percentage of eye injuries, resulting from choosing not to wear safety glasses or wearing improper safety glasses.

Not just another pretty frame

Industrial safety glasses are designed to go beyond the call of duty and go into environments where regular specs fear to look. Safety glasses may resemble regular eyeglasses, but the lenses are more durable and provide better protection against flying debris. If you have a vision problem, you can use specially made safety glasses that have bi focal lenses.

Eyeball to volleyball

If a large air-filled ball like a soccer ball, volleyball or basketball hits your eye with enough force it can definitely do some serious damage. The reason has to do with the physics. Doctors tell us that the deformation of the ball upon impact will allow most balls to penetrate smaller areas than would be possible with the ball at rest. At a high impact, the ball flattens and becomes more elastic so that a portion of it can protrude into a small space. If the ball is larger than the orbital opening, the forehead and the orbital rim will absorb part of the impact, but some of it will reach the eye. This is how a soccer ball or volleyball is capable of causing significant eye injury. And why you should always wear safety glasses.

How can they harm thee? Let us count the ways.

Catchin' some rays ain't always what it is cracked up to be, especially if they are UV rays. These rays don't sing but they can play a tune on your eyes if you are not careful. There are three basic types of UV radiation: UV A Rays- May produce severe reactions to all layers of the cornea. UV B rays May cause permanent cataracts. All UV C Rays- May produce photokeratitis.(welder's flash). Almost all industrial safety glasses are 99.9% UV A and B protected. Only specialized industrial safety glasses meet UV C standards. That's why it is wise to wear safety glasses when both at work or play.

Invisible, man!

No, UV or Ultra-Violet Rays are not large colorful members of the fish family, but they can do damage to your eyes. Ultra-Violet light, which means “beyond blue”, can cause or contribute to a variety of eye ailments, such as snow blindness, cataracts, age-related macular degeneration and tumors. So before you go out in the noonday sun make sure you have a pair of safety glasses with UV lenses and you'll have it made in the shade. Manufacturers like UVEX manufacture industrial UVEX safety glasses that provide UV protection, comfort, and style.

Eye-popping numbers

As you can imagine, eye injuries on the job are very common. More than 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day. About 1 in 10 injuries requires one or more missed workdays to recover from the injury. Of the total amount of work-related injuries, 10-20 % will cause temporary or permanent vision loss. These are eye-popping numbers, so to speak. The most common cause of eye injuries are (the envelope, please!):

*Flying objects (bits of metal, glass)
*Tools
*Particles
*Chemicals
*Harmful radiation
*Any combination of these or other hazards.

Experts believe that industrial safety glassescould have lessened the severity or even prevented 90% of eye injuries in accidents.

Driving directions

Only if you are involved in a demolition derby, or are on the NASCAR circuit. The fact is for normal everyday type driving, safety glasses with UV protection are not necessary. Why? Harmful UV rays are generally filtered by your car's windows. That's why photo chromatic lenses do not change color inside your vehicle. The short answer is that you can wear safety glasses while driving, but you don't have to.

What Do Safety Glasses Protect Against?

When considering safety glasses, most of us would think they can only be used to protect us in cases of a chemical splashing towards the face. Yet, safety glasses are useful in other situations as well. These situations include:

· Welding
· Construction
· Dust
· Thermal Heat
· Lasers

These are only a handful of the main risks to consider. Therefore safety eyewear should be used whenever you are worried about injury to your eyes.

Various Lenses For Safety Glasses

Safety glasses can be categorized based on the material their lens, are constructed with. Usually only three main materials – glass, plastic, and polycarbonate – are used to construct the lenses used in safety glasses.
Safety glasses with lenses made of glass are not common, but they do occur. They are used only in special circumstances where the density of the glass is needed based on the chemicals handled, or environment the employee is working in. However, safety glasses constructed of glass are easily scratched, and present a hazard if they fall and break.
Safety glasses can also have plastic lenses. Plastic lenses are preferred over glass lenses due to their ability to resist breaking if they fall or drop. Plastic lenses are often used in areas where chemical solvents are located, because they resist breakdown.
Polycarbonate is the most common type of material within the lenses of safety glasses. It is chosen more often than plastic because it is stronger and resists breaking. Polycarbonate lenses are especially useful in areas of welding, where they can be coated to prevent ultraviolet rays entering the eye.

How safe is safe?

To be rated as safety glasses, both frame and lenses must adhere to particular ANSI standards. The frames are sturdier than "dress frames," and the lenses must be able to pass a "drop ball" test, which, as the name implies, involves dropping a hard ball onto the lens from a certain height. (Ouch!) If the safety eye glass lens cracks or shatters, it fails the test. A new standard, ANSI Z87.1-2003, was passed recently, which describes requirements for two types of lenses: high impact and basic impact. Employers who require safety eyewear for employees should consult OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) to help determine which type of lens is more suitable at their job sites.

Look for the mark of Z

Obviously to be truly protective, safety eyewear must meet a higher standard than your regular street glasses. They have to be able to stand up to all kinds of stuff flying around. According to OSHA, all industrial safety glasses must have impact resistant lenses and frames and should have a small (Z87.1) mark on the lens or the frame. Safety glasses also feature wrap-around polycarbonate lenses, side shields and UV protection.

Level of Protection For Safety Glasses

Based on OSHA regulations, the level of protection selected in terms of safety eyeglasses is divided into a basic and high level of protection.
Safety glasses offering only the basic level of protection are safety eyewear that has successfully withstood the force of having a one-inch steel ball dropped onto them. Safety glasses assessed with a high level of protection can withstand numerous quarter-inch balls of steel thrown at them without breaking.

The level of protection chosen will therefore depend on the task being completed.

All-around eye protection

Both your regular “street” glasses and safety eye glasses can protect your baby blues from stuff that comes directly at them . Safety glasses, however, are designed to protect your eyes from airborne particles that can sneak into your eyes from the side or over the top of your lenses. What's more, protective eyewear is designed for a tougher work environment, and must meet rigorous ANSI standards for strength and durability. Take a look at the Pyramex Venture II safety glasses at the link above. They are one of the most form fitting and comfortable safety glass on the market.

Tinted Safety Lenses

A special feature available with safety eyewear is the ability to choose tinted lenses. This special feature is not for esthetic purposes, but rather the tint chosen should depend on the type of job being completed. Some tint examples include:

· Clear Tints – used in a indoor setting for general purpose activities
· Blue Mirror Tints – often used for glasses worn outside, under the glare of the sunlight
· Oak Green Tints – a dark green tint will protect from ultraviolet rays
· Amber Tints – Used in areas where the amount of light available is reduced.

Tints higher on the “tint chart” are mainly used in cutting and welding, or any activity involving a blow torch.

Wearing safety glasses while mowing the lawn

How many times have you gone out to mow the lawn and something shoots out from underneath the lawn mower? It probably happens more than you think. The projectile may hit the house, scratch the paint on your car, or even reflect back and hit yourself.

Here is a good tip. Always wear your safety glasses when mowing the lawn. Nowadays there are tons of stylish safety glasses on the market. Most of them cost $5.00 and under. It's a pretty in-expensive price to protect your vision.

Safety glasses with magnification lenses

Well, you are getting a little older and having a hard time seeing tiny objects from close up. Yet, it seems your job is making you deal with items smaller and smaller. There is now several pairs of magnification safety glasses on the market that will help with with both of these aspects of eye protection.

These glasses meet all OSHA safety regulations and come in a 1.0, 1.5, 2, 2.5 magnification built right in. Not only that, but the magnifying safety glasses are also comfortable, stylish to wear, and only cost about $10 bucks.

OSHA’s Recommendations For Safety Eyewear

When selecting safety eyewear, it’s important to choose the equipment that best suits the job. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, also known as OSHA, recommends that certain safety eyewear be used for various tasks.

• For handling chemicals, OSHA recommends the use of flexible fitting goggles with a hooded ventilation or a face shield.

• For welding, workers should use welding goggles or a welding helmet in combination with tinted spectacles.

• When working with a furnace, workers should use either eyecup welding goggles or coverspec welding goggles with tinted lenses.

• Working around machinery can call for a wide variety of safety eyewear, including flexible or cushioned fitting goggles, spectacles with side shields and face shields.

Which Is Right For You?

There are various brands of safety glasses available, and finding the right pair can be tiresome. However, choosing the correct pair of safety glasses involves selecting the right frame and special features based on the area they will be worn in.
When looking at the frames of safety glasses, select a style, which is comfortable to wear. Some people might be tempted to purchase the most stylish brand of safety eyewear, yet this is no guarantee this eyewear will be the most comfortable. Depending on what industry you are employed, your job could require you to wear safety glasses for 6+ hours. Based on this, anyone would want to choose the most comfortable pair.

There are various safety glasses with special features, such as UVEX safety glasses, bifocal safety glasses, prescription lenses, or colored tinted glasses.

Wearing Safety Glasses At Home

Even though someone working in the industrial field will need safety glasses “on the job”, many people neglect to use safety glasses at home, where 40 percent of eye injuries occur.

It might seem unusual to wear safety glasses at home, but consider the daily activities in which safety glasses would be useful. These daily activities can include cleaning the bathroom with harsh chemicals, maintenance work around the home, or repairing cars in your spare time. These are all different activities compared to working in a chemical laboratory, however the bathroom cleaners can splash into your eyes, and have the potential to cause pain and injury like the chemicals in the laboratory.

Based on this, it is beneficial to wear safety glasses whenever there is a risk to your eyes receiving damage.

OSHA Eye Protection Regulations

According to OSHA regulations on eyewear, it is the responsibility of the owner or employer of the company to investigate, and guarantee that employees comply with OSHA regulations. The full details of the rules are described in the OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910.133.

29 CFR 1910.133 (a)(1) states the hazards to the eye, such as chemical gases, acid, or light radiation.

29 CFR 1910.133 (a)(2) is more specific and describes regulation to enforce employees with eye prescriptions be given prescription safety glasses.

The rest of the 29 CFR 1910.133 regulations address compliance with ANSI Z89.1-1989 - “American National Standard Practice For Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection.”

Eye Strain

For certain products, “The more money spent, the better the quality of the product received.” This is not true for everything, but this phrase can be applied to safety eyewear.

Some people have complained of eye strain when wearing safety glasses of a lower quality. Eye strain can manifest itself as tired or burning eyes, with blurry vision, accompanied by headaches and dizziness.

Eye strain can be reduced by having your eyes tested, buying better quality safety glasses, and taking breaks from working.

OSHA On Safety Glasses

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides regulations on safety glasses for workers in the United States. According to OSHA, employers need to provide safety glasses in environments where machinery or other operations present hazards to the face in the form of physical bodily injury or chemical or radiation dangers. OSHA requires all safety glasses must meet the standards established by the American National Standards Institute. In addition, OSHA requires that all safety glasses must be clean, in good condition and free from defects. For those employees who need corrective lenses, safety glasses can take the form of protective eyewear with built in corrective lenses or goggles which go over an employee’s glasses.