OSHA Defense

An OSHA Guide to Eye and Face Protection Part 3 featured image

An OSHA Guide to Eye and Face Protection Part 3

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) closely monitors the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) on construction sites nationwide. Eye and face PPE is especially important for keeping your team safe from succumbing to ocular trauma or other serious injuries.

In part one and two of this four-part series, our OSHA lawyers explored common misconceptions about prescription lenses, learned about potential injuries, and observed some of the parameters for selecting suitable PPE. In part three, we will examine different types of eye and face PPE and learn how to select the right equipment for your next project.

Safety Spectacles

These protective eyeglasses help shield eyes from dirt, dust, and debris. Safety spectacles are constructed of metal or hard plastic and utilize impact-resistant lenses to protect your eyes during a collision. Safety spectacles with side shields are recommended to help minimize risk on your project. They are the most commonly instituted piece of PPE and employees should be trained to identify coworkers who aren’t wearing them and then send them to the proper station to receive a replacement pair. An OSHA lawyer can help you increase compliance by drafting educational resources and notices to post around the project site.

Goggles

Unlike safety spectacles, goggles fit tightly around the wearer’s head to completely protect the eyes, eye sockets, and the facial area around the eyes from impact, dust, splashes, and other common construction site hazards that can have adverse effects on the eyes and face. Goggles are ideal for environments with lots of dust or wind, and although they’re generally less comfortable than safety spectacles, they have the added benefit of being fastened around your head, which keeps them from slipping down the bridge of your nose.

Welding Shields

A welder’s job requires them to come face to face with danger on a daily basis, so it’s important to supply welding shields to any welders on your team. Welding shields are constructed of vulcanized fiber or fiberglass and fitted with a special filtered lens that protects the wearer’s eyes from burns caused by the intense radiant light emitted by the welding torch. Welding shields cover the welder’s entire face, which helps protect them from flying sparks, metal spatter, and slag chips commonly produced while welding, brazing, and soldering. OSHA standards require filter lenses on welding masks to possess the appropriate shade number for a given job in order to protect the welder from detrimental light radiation.

Are you maintaining an OSHA-compliant workforce? In part four, our OSHA lawyers will continue to investigate the different types of eye and face PPE available for your team’s use and how to best utilize these items for increased safety.

If you would like to speak with an OSHA lawyer, please contact us today.

Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.