Are you allowing detachable side shields in your facility? If so, then this article is for you!
Let's have a much-needed discussion about detachable side shields. 👇🏻 To start things off, are side shields required by OSHA? If you are required to wear eye protection, then YES! OSHA's "Eye and Face Protection" standard (29 CFR 1910.133) states "The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses eye protection that provides SIDE PROTECTION when there is a hazard from flying objects. Detachable side protectors (e.g. clip-on or slide-on side shields) meeting the pertinent requirements of this section are acceptable." The last part of that sentence states that detachable side shields (e.g., clip-on or slide-on shields) are both acceptable as long as they meet the applicable requirements of 29 CFR 1910.133, such as markings to identify the manufacturer and complying with the ANSI Z87.1 standard. Using the famous words of Ron Popeil - "But wait, there's more!" What are these side shields typically attached to? 🤔 In most cases (not all), these side shields are attached to a worker's regular eyeglasses/reading glasses. THIS is where the issue lies. While your side shields may be OSHA- and ANSI-compliant (meaning they will provide adequate impact protection), these regular eyeglasses/reading glasses are NOT. What this means is that while you may have side protection from flying objects, you do NOT have properly-rated impact protection on the front due to your regular eyeglasses/reading glasses typically having plastic/acrylic or glass lenses. If something of substantial impact hits your lens(es) on your regular eyeglasses/reading glasses, IT COULD CRACK OR SHATTER, causing a potential eye injury! 🤕 What's the solution? If you require prescription eyewear, you can either purchase prescription safety glasses (which typically have polycarbonate lenses) that are ANSI-compliant and have the "Z87-2+" marking on them, OR you can wear the traditional "over-the-glasses" (OTG) safety glasses or goggles that are ANSI Z87.1-compliant and that simply slip over your regular eyeglasses/reading glasses. Your employer DOES have to provide you with OTG-style safety glasses or goggles, but it's OPTIONAL if they want to contribute or pay for your set of prescription safety glasses (except when you require spectactle inserts in a full-face respirator, which is then REQUIRED to be paid for by your employer). While OSHA does "allow" detachable side shields, they "recommend" permanently attached side shields instead, as noted in the standard interpretation below. If you're allowing detachable side shields in your facility, then you may want to re-evaluate your company's PPE program to ensure you're actually complying with the required standards. OSHA Standard Interpretation: https://lnkd.in/e8qQSUnU #arrowsafety #safety #safetyconsultant #safetytraining #manufacturing #osha #glasgowky #louisville #kentucky #assp #construction #oilandgas #training #eyewear #ppe #personalprotectiveequipment #safetyglasses
Our company will pay for a worker to get prescription safety glasses, so this doesn’t become an issue. Until they get their prescription glasses we have over the glasses protection
In my previous role as EHS Rep, I would hit this topic fairly hard during new hire safety orientation and even with employees who had been around a while. They would look at me like I was nuts, so I started showing a video I found on YouTube that really drove my point home. Team members from another company used a styrofoam head, cherry tomatoes, and a nail gun to show the difference between wearing ANSI approved safety glasses, every day prescription glasses, and no glasses at all. Between that video, and the one I found on Instagram of a mechanic’s safety glasses stopping a shard off his broken grinder, the number of times I encountered our team members trying to pass their own glasses off as safety glasses dropped tremendously!
We offer to pay for prescription safety glasses and offer OTG safety glasses for visitors and those who just prefer them. We also offer regular safety glasses with "cheater" magnification panels across the bottom for those who just need that.
Great article. Thank you.
Side shields, rated or not, are insufficient if they are not on a rated frame with rated lenses. We are provided a prescription eyewear program and I have found rated sets are generally less $$ than standard and the styles have come a long way!
And remember that Z87 covers the lenses and frames and more than impact.
We allow detachable side shields at my facility. However, I personally inspect the glasses prior to releasing any side shields.
We work to AS1337 AS/NZ standards this is a clar way to educate the workforce on what is required
I'll keep this in mind
Passionate Safety Advocate | Engaging Health & Safety Programs | Practical OSHA Compliance
2moVery good Drew! Way back in my foundry days, 40 years ago, we were required to wear “full cup, wire-mesh” side shields, permanently attached! Most of us had custom wire temples that wrapped around your ears to pull the glasses and cups tight against your face. As part of my job duties as a production line supervisor I had to go around once a week do a pencil check test on every employee! If I could get a #2 pencil between the glasses and cup on an employee’s face, they were immediately sent to the nurse to get their glasses adjusted! Beleive it or not most employees had no problem keeping their glasses adjusted well. Green sand in the eyes is very unpleasant! Seeing the nurse for the cure was even worse! She took a q-tip and rolled it around your eye ball. It only took once and you would do ANYTHING you could to not go through that again!!