Competition Time!!!!!
WHY DO WE NEED SAFETY GLASSES?
Of the approximate 2000 people with eye injuries that happen every day. 1 in 10 of these people will miss one or more workdays due to this injury.
With the right eye protection, the majority of these injuries could be prevented reducing time away from work and increasing the employee’s wellbeing at work.
We would always recommend using safety glasses as part of a well thought out risk analysis and from that providing a suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) policy devised for the workplace of the employee(s).
There are a variety of options out there to protect the eyes and face. These include safety glasses, goggles, hybrid glasses, over specs and face shields.
Prescription Safety Glasses
Custom made to order for the employee’s prescription. Therefore these couldn’t be used by more than one employee. They come in single vision, bifocal, varifocal lenses and a variety of special coatings including tints, polarised and photochromic lenses.
Safety Goggles
If there are strong chemicals, airborne particles or mechanical equipment at work then either sealed or vented goggles would be advisable to use. Make sure that they have the right ratings for this kind of protection on the manufacturer’s information. The Bolle Chronosoft is great working in high-temperature situations and has a double lens feature for effective anti-fog protection.
Full Face Shield
If there is the potential for flying particles or chemical splashes in the working environment the use of a face shield to protect the full facial area would be advisable. This can be worn over either existing glasses or safety glasses for added protection.
Over Safety Glasses
Good for visitors and VIPs in the workplace and can be worn over existing eyewear.
Hybrid Safety Glasses
Useful when there are changing hazards in the area. The user would then be able to move from a traditional glasses style to use the glasses like a goggle. A good example of these is the Bolle Tracker II glasses that also come with a head strap. By using a head strap this allows for greater eye protection and convenience.
Safety Glasses
Wraparound styles and different tints such as polarised lenses as can be seen in the Bolle Contour glasses that are great at reducing glare caused by water or snow. These glasses also protect against UVC rays as well as the normal UVA/ UVB protection. Bolle Spider glasses are a good example of a Flash lens that is good for working outdoors and has a high amount of protection from infra-red light. Typically different lens coatings can be used to stop the eyewear from fogging or scratching easily. These Bolle Cobra glasses are a good example of an ESP coating. These glasses can be worn indoors and outdoors and have the effect of reducing dazzle and harmful blue light.
Most safety glasses are made of polycarbonate. Due to its strength and ability to protect eyes from UV light.
Lastly are the fit and comfort of the glasses right for the level of use that they will be required for. There are three levels of optical class. Optical class 1 being the best meaning the eyewear can be worn all day long without any distortion in vision. They do not contain any prescription. It’s also useful to have some kind of lanyard or strap for the glasses so they can be removed but kept close to hand for when next needed.
We are offering readers of SOS Magazine a free pair of Bolle Tracker Smoke lens safety glasses to the first six replies quoting ‘SOS COMPETITION’ to:
