Eye - Face Protection

Employees must wear protection if hazards exist that could cause eye or face injury. Eye and face protection should be used in conjunction with equipment guards, engineering controls, and safe practices.

NOTE: Unless it is documented that there is no potential for eye injury to occur, safety glasses are required in laboratories. Chemical splash goggles should be worn when handling chemical materials.

Always wear adequate eye and face protection when performing tasks such as grinding, buffing, welding, chipping, cutting, pouring chemicals or pipetting. Safety glasses or goggles should be worn in case of impact hazard. Chemical splash goggles provide the most effective eye protection against chemical splashes as well as protection against impact.

Follow the information below regarding eye protection:

1. If you wear prescription glasses, goggles or other safety protection should be worn over the glasses.
2. Safety glasses with side-shields provide protection to eyes and are four times as resistant as prescription glasses to impact injuries.
3. Goggles protect against impacts, sparks, chemical splashes, dust, etc., but not all goggles provide the same type of protection. There are specific goggles for:
   1. Wood-working or other impact hazards
   2. Chemical splash hazards
   3. Laser hazards
   4. UV hazards
   5. Welding hazards
4. A face shield is designed to protect the face from some splashes or projectiles, but does not eliminate exposure to vapors.

NOTE: Goggles or safety glasses with side shields must be worn under a face shield.