Put safety in sight

Today’s protective eyewear is more effective, more comfortable and can even be considered a fashion statement. New models are lighter, adjust and hold their shape and are built to take the rough working conditions on the jobsite.

Statistics show that up to 11,000 eye injuries occur every year on construction sites. So doesn’t it make sense to take advantage of the peace of mind safety eyewear can offer?

“There is a variety of protective eyewear available today that will help protect you and allows you to be very fashionable doing it. The key is to make certain you are wearing the proper eye protection for the job you’re doing,” says Ingemar Olsson, national sales manager at Dalloz Safety.

The OSHA rules
OSHA requires that safety spectacles incorporate side protection when there is a danger from flying objects such as during sanding or grinding operations. Integral molded side shields are common, but some models have built-in side protection at the temple.

Eye protection must meet the ANSI Z.87.1-1989 standard. Eyewear that meets this standard will carry a “Z87” designation in the United States.

Polycarbonate replaces glass
Olsson says nearly all safety spectacle lenses available today are made of optical-grade polycarbonate. It has greater impact resistance than hardened glass, but weighs 50 percent less.

Polycarbonate lenses do not shatter and are normally coated for scratch and fog resistance.

A variety of tints and lenses are also available to match your job needs:
• Indoor/outdoor
• Yellow or amber lenses for higher contrast in low-light situations or cloudy days
• Gray lenses for improved depth perception
• Dark-gray lenses for blue light and short-duration electric arcs.

This article was published in the May/June 2002 issue of Contractor Tools and Supplies magazine.

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