If you are a worker in any industry, chances are that your employer will ask you to wear safety glasses to prevent an unforeseen eye injury. Construction workers in particular face many dangers including sawdust and laboratory workers need to protect their eyes against chemical splashes. If you work with metal then there is a risk that sparks or shrapnel or another hazard can cause an unwanted eye injury. You need to protect your eyes to the maximum and what better way than by wearing z87 safety glasses?
- ANSI Z87.1 Certified Safety Glasses
- OSHA Approved Prescription Safety Glasses
- ANSI Z87 Certified Safety Glasses
- High Mass and High-Velocity Tests
Protect Your Eyes by Wearing ANSI Z87.1 Certified Safety Glasses
According to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), you need to protect your eyes with eye protection that meets certain criteria. The ANSI Z87.1-2015 standard laid down by ANSI defines the criteria for the use and testing as well as choosing and maintaining your eye protection. These standards ensure that your eyes are protected to an extent that there is a minimum risk from an eye hazard. Here is a look at the Z87 safety glasses standards.
Latest Iteration - OSHA Approved Prescription Safety Glasses
The most recent iteration of the Z87.1 standard was laid out in 2015. Its most important aspect is that it organizes equipment according to the hazards the eyewear is meant to protect you against. At the same time, these standards have also updated equipment testing methods to ensure that they adhere and conform to global standards of a comparable nature.
However, as important as Z87 standards are, OSHA does not mandate that your eye protection complies with this standard. It only mentions that your eyewear should be at least as effective as any other similar protective eye protection or protective face protection that was constructed to conform with previous ANSI Z87 standards. The fact is that Z87.1 – 2015 standards are not less effective than previous standards and so, if you are using eye protection that conforms to earlier standards, then OSHA would consider this to be acceptable.
Similar Standards - ANSI Z87 Certified Safety Glasses
The Z87.1-2015 and Z87.1-2010 standards more or less are similar regarding eye protection and face protection standards used in different countries around the world. These standards are devised to ensure that it is easy to work with eye protection items made in countries outside the USA. The standards relate directly according to the ability of the device to protect you against certain hazards. So, your Z87 safety glasses will protect you against impacts as well as against splashes and dust. They will also protect your eyes against radiation.
High Mass and High-Velocity Tests
The impact-resistant properties of your Z87 glasses must pass a few specific high mass as well as high-velocity tests. They should also protect your eyes against dangers from the side of your face. If the eyewear is rated for impact resistance, then it should have a plus sign next to the marking. So, if you see Z87+, you know the eyewear protects you against impacts.
Also, if there is the letter D after Z87, then the eyewear is tested for protecting your eyes against splashes as well as dust. If the letters D3, follow the Z87 sign, then it means that the eyewear protects your eyes against droplets as well as splashes. The letters D4 on the other hand, following z87, mean that the eyewear is designed to protect your eyes against dust. And, the letters D5, signify that eyewear protects you against fine dust particles.
Z87 safety glasses also protect you against optical radiation. The markings Z87, when followed by the letter W means that the eyewear protects you against sparks and shrapnel that are given off during welding processes. If the letter U appears after Z87, then it means that your eyewear protects you against ultraviolet rays. The letter R after Z87 means that your glasses are designed to protect your eyes against infrared heat. The letter L after the Z87 marking means that your eyewear has glare filters. If the lenses on your safety glasses are clear, then there is no other marking on the glasses.
If you have a small head, and you choose Z87 safety glasses, then be sure to look for the letter H which means that the glasses are designed for people with small heads. And, if you need to correct your vision, then you should look for the manufacturer’s logo on the lenses which signify that these are prescription lenses.
