Safety & Occupational Eyewear

ANSI Z87.1 is the standard for occupational and educational personal eye and face protection. It is separate from ANSI Z80.1 (dress eyewear).

Key Requirements:

- All safety lenses must pass both basic and/or high-impact tests

- Safety frames must be more robust than dress frames, with stronger hinges and thicker construction

- All components must be marked to indicate compliance

Impact Ratings:

- Basic Impact — Lenses survive a 1-inch steel ball dropped from 50 inches (similar to FDA drop-ball but with a larger ball)

- High Impact (Z87+) — Lenses must pass BOTH:

- High-mass test — A pointed projectile (500g) dropped from 50 inches

- High-velocity test — A 1/4-inch steel ball fired at 150 ft/s (for spectacles)

Minimum Thickness:

- Polycarbonate safety lenses: 2.0mm minimum center thickness

- Glass safety lenses: 3.0mm minimum center thickness (rarely used today)

- High-index and CR-39 must also meet minimum thickness requirements based on impact rating

All safety eyewear components must be permanently marked for identification:

Lens Markings:

- Z87 — Meets basic-impact requirements

- Z87+ — Meets high-impact requirements

- Manufacturer's monogram/trademark

- Z87-2 — Prescription safety lens (must also have manufacturer mark)

Frame Markings:

- Z87 on the frame indicates it meets basic-impact frame standards

- Z87+ indicates high-impact frame compliance

- Manufacturer's mark

Additional Markings for Special Protectors:

- D3 — Splash/droplet protection

- D4 — Dust protection

- D5 — Fine dust protection

- W followed by shade number — Welding filter (e.g., W10)

- U followed by scale number — UV filter

- L followed by scale number — Visible light filter

- R followed by scale number — IR (infrared) filter

Important: Safety frames and lenses should be matched — a Z87+ lens in a Z87 (basic) frame does NOT provide high-impact protection.

Safety Spectacles

Standard glasses with side shields. Available with or without prescription.

- Side shields required for lateral protection

- Available in full-rim, semi-rimless styles

- Wraparound designs offer better coverage

Safety Goggles

- Impact goggles — Direct or indirect ventilation, protect against flying particles

- Chemical splash goggles — Sealed fit with indirect (hooded) ventilation to prevent liquid entry

- Dust goggles — Sealed fit for fine particle protection

Face Shields

- Worn over safety glasses or goggles (NOT as a standalone protector)

- Protect the entire face from splashes, grinding debris, etc.

Welding Helmets and Goggles

- Must have appropriate shade number for the welding type

- Gas welding: Shade 3-6

- Arc welding: Shade 10-14 (higher amperage = darker shade)

- Auto-darkening helmets switch from light shade to welding shade instantly

Laser Safety Eyewear

- Must be matched to the specific laser wavelength

- Rated by Optical Density (OD) — the amount of attenuation

- NOT interchangeable between different laser types

- Must be labeled with wavelength range and OD

ASTM F803 — Standard for eye protectors in selected sports:

- Racquet sports (racquetball, squash, tennis)

- Women's lacrosse

- Basketball

- Field hockey

Sport-Specific Considerations:

- Racket sports — Highest risk of eye injury. Polycarbonate lenses in sport frames mandatory.

- Basketball — Sports goggles with polycarbonate or Trivex lenses

- Swimming — Prescription goggles available with sphere-only correction

- Shooting/Hunting — Impact-resistant lenses with amber/yellow tints for contrast enhancement

- Cycling/Motorcycling — Wrap-around frames with impact-resistant, anti-fog lenses

Material Requirements:

- Polycarbonate is the primary material for sports eyewear due to highest impact resistance

- Trivex is also acceptable — lighter weight with better optical clarity

- CR-39 and glass are NOT appropriate for sports protection

Key Rule: Regular prescription eyewear does NOT provide adequate sports eye protection, even with polycarbonate lenses. Sport-specific frames designed to the ASTM standard are required.

Computer/VDT Workstation Eyewear

- Recommended viewing distance: 20-26 inches (arm's length)

- 20-20-20 Rule: Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds

- Occupational progressive or office lenses provide wider intermediate/near zones

- Blue light filtering may be recommended for extended screen use

- Anti-reflective coating reduces screen glare

Industrial Settings:

- Safety lenses must meet ANSI Z87.1

- Employer must provide safety eyewear at no cost (OSHA requirement)

- Prescription inserts can be used behind non-Rx safety goggles

- Chemical environments require splash goggles, not just spectacles

Radiation Protection (Leaded Lenses)

- Used in medical/dental settings around X-ray equipment

- Lead-equivalent glass or acrylic lenses

- Rated by mm of lead equivalence (typically 0.5-0.75mm Pb)

- Side shields with lead also recommended

OSHA Requirements (29 CFR 1910.133):

- Employers must assess workplace hazards

- Provide appropriate eye protection for identified hazards

- Ensure eyewear fits properly and is maintained

- Train employees on proper use and care

- Safety eyewear provided at no cost to the employee

Important for Opticians:

- Never dispense dress eyewear as safety eyewear, even with polycarbonate lenses

- Safety eyewear must be complete (matched Z87.1 frames AND lenses)

- Verify all required markings before dispensing

- Document workplace hazard requirements provided by the employer

- Plano (non-prescription) safety glasses must also meet Z87.1 standards