Do you need a new pair of safety glasses or safety goggles and aren’t sure how to choose the right pair of safety eyewear for you?
Maybe you know you need to protect your eyes but aren’t sure how best to do it, or what the best eye protection is.
Or are you curious and want to know more? Whatever the reason might be that brought you here today, we have the answer for you!
Finding the right safety glasses for you can be tricky, especially if this is your first pair.
You’ll need to consider things such as lens materials, whether there’s an anti fog coating, whether they offer wider face protection, and so many other things.
With so many makes and models on the market, all claiming to be the best, you can quickly find yourself stressed and overwhelmed, unsure where to turn or who to trust.
Well, no more! Today we are here with the answers that you need.
Keep reading to find out how you can choose the right safety glasses to protect your eyes and everything else you need to know! We have a complete guide coming up!
What Are Safety Glasses?
Before we get into today’s article, let’s have a quick recap for those that need it!
Safety glasses, or protective eyewear, are thick glasses or safety goggles that cover your eyes and the skin surrounding your eyes.
These thick glasses help to protect your eyes from any harsh chemicals, dirt, debris, or anything that could get into your eyes and damage them, such as flying objects, visible radiation, chemical splashes, and various other potential eye injuries and hazards.
They are worn in a range of fields, such as scientists, lab technicians, builders, welders, and any profession where you are at risk of your eyes being damaged by the conditions and the hazards that are present in the workplace as you wear them.
If there is flying debris, harsh chemicals, or dangerous substances nearby, then you need safety glasses in your workplace!
Most employers will supply you with safety glasses and other protective equipment that you need, including glasses or goggles, but if you are self-employed, then you will need to purchase the glasses for yourself and any employees you have.
Safety glasses can be purchased online or through a company directly if you know who you want to purchase them from.
Now that we have established what safety glasses are, let’s move on and look at how you can choose the right pair to minimize risk and that you will be happy to wear!
How To Choose The Right Safety Glasses
When purchasing safety glasses, there are a few factors that you need to consider to ensure that you make the right choice for you and your vision.
So let’s dive in and look at what you need to consider when choosing your safety glasses today!
Lens Type
First up, you want to consider the type of lens in the glasses, especially whether there is a coating that helps to minimize the risk of fog developing on the glass which can impact the amount of light getting through, and thus impact the range of vision for the wearer.
Typically, safety glasses are made from polycarbonate, plastic, or glass.
Polycarbonate tends to be strongest as it is scratch-resistant and impact-resistant without being too heavy on your face.
This means you can avoid injury without risking your body aching. This is an important consideration especially for construction workers or those that work in welding!
It is worth trying on a few different pairs to see what lens type you like best, both for durability and how they feel on your face.
When looking at the type of lens too, make sure that they meet ANSI and OSHA standards that should be met with all goggles.
This is super important for employers too!
If your glasses meet the right standards, then you don’t need to worry about any ramifications, as you are taking care of your employees and providing them with correct and compliant eyewear that protects them from hazards.
You will know that the equipment that you have provided shields your employee’s eyes, and the coatings help to keep fogging or even allowing dust in.
You can find branding on the side of the glasses that will indicate if they meet these standards or not, which can lead to knowledgeable staff that know how to protect themselves with eyewear and other ppe.
If you are ever unsure, you can contact the manufacturer directly for clarification.
Lens Technology
When looking at the lens, you also want to consider any added technology that will keep you and your employees safe.
Consider your work environment and what your hazards are here too, to ensure that you are protected from everything you need to be protected from in your working environment.
You may need to provide a combination of different types of personal protective equipment such as a face shield, and other appropriate ppe tools.
However, you will have to make sure that combinations of tools like masks and goggles do not cause fog that can impact the efficiency of workers in the workplace, as the lenses of their eyewear will be impacted!
You want safety glasses that offer protection from UVA and UVB rays and any other chemicals or substances that you are exposed to while working, as long-term exposure to these things can be very damaging and harmful.
Lens Coating
You also want to consider the coating on your lens.
No two pairs of safety glasses are made the same, so, for example, you will need to scroll through reams of product information when comparing glasses for the wearer, unfortunately.
We know this can be tedious, but it is the best way to make sure that the glasses have what you need, and that includes the lens coatings which have anti fog properties, which makes it easier to monitor hazards and to consider impact protection as the lens material will not become foggy.
You want your glasses to have a coating that protects them from harmful UV rays, but also makes them scratch-resistant too!
The last thing you want is any scratches blocking your vision.
If you work outdoors or in any environment that is subject to change, look for glasses that are fog-proof too, to ensure that your vision is never impaired!
Comfort And Size
These two factors can be considered separately or together, depending on what you want from your glasses.
As you are wearing them for your working day, you need them to be comfortable.
There’s a far greater chance you will keep them on if they are comfortable than if they dig into your head, or irritate your nose.
So spend some time looking for those with added pads for comfort, or trying on a few pairs to see what feels best for you and your head.
Size plays an important role here too. The glasses need to fit your face securely, without any space for debris or dust to enter.
After all, what is the point in having them if they aren’t going to protect you?
You don’t want them to be too tight, to the point where they are uncomfortable.
It can feel like a balancing act to get this right, but by trying on a few pairs you can usually rule out what feels comfortable and what fits you correctly.
Make sure that you check with the ANSI and OSHA standards to make sure that the fit of the glasses is up to standard.
After all, there is no point in wearing them if they aren’t going to keep you safe!
Impact Resistance
We have touched on this earlier, but you need to make sure that your glasses can survive your working environment.
Whether that is your glasses can survive a knock or two, or they won’t scratch easily, you need to know what your glasses can handle during your working day!
Most safety glasses will come with an impact resistance rating, usually that they can survive a drop of so many feet, but this will tell you how strong and durable they are.
After all, you don’t want to be purchasing safety glasses every other week, do you?
The material used to make the lens will also indicate how durable and impact resistant your glasses will be, with polycarbonate tending to be the most durable.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it, all the factors you need to be aware of when choosing the right safety glasses for you!
No matter what glasses you choose, make sure they fit your face, are comfortable to wear, and are equipped to deal with your working environment.
You need your eyes to be protected from harmful rays, dust, debris, and any chemicals you come into contact with. If your glasses can do all of that, then you are certainly onto a winner!
Just make sure to check that the glasses meet the required standards for your industry and you are good to go.