Your eyes need protection. But just grabbing the nearest pair of safety glasses might not be enough.

When selecting protective eyewear, it’s important to consider the hazards in your work environment and what it would take to keep your eyes safe from them.

Consider the Hazards

Depending on the job you’re doing, your eyes could be harmed by:

  • Small projectiles (woodchips, plastic shavings, debris on the workstation)
  • Dusts (airborne dusts, sawdust, powdered materials)
  • Chemicals (liquid splashes, fumes, vapors)
  • Radiation (bright lights, UV rays)

Most jobs that involve sawing or cutting will require protection from projectiles.

Dust in the atmosphere can irritate the eyes. That’s worth protecting against, even if it’s just to avoid discomfort. But it can also cause distraction (which is itself a hazard) and prolonged exposure to irritants could damage the eyes.

With chemicals, the risks are often invisible and harder to detect. When dealing with really harsh products, most people know they should wear a respirator to avoid exposure through inhalation. However, many chemicals can also irritate the eyes, cause occular injuries, or enter the body through the eyes.

The Right Eyewear for the Job

When you’ve considered the hazards you’ll encounter, use that information to dictate the type of eyewear you’ll need.

  • Safety glasses are usually sufficient to protect the eyes from impact and small projectiles (including wood chips and other flying debris that can occur while using power tools)
  • Safety glasses with side shields provide additional protection and is particularly useful when dealing with dusts and small particles that could reach the eyes from the sides of the glasses
  • Safety goggles form a tight seal around the eyes, which provides better protection against dusts and airborne particulates, as well as fumes and chemical vapors
  • Face shields are typically used by welders and are designed to protect the eyes from a variety of hazards, like radiation, impact, metal slag, intense heat, and sparks

Wear It Right

Proper safety eyewear will safeguard your eyes, but you have to make sure the rest of your body is protected as well.

When donning eyewear, make sure it doesn’t compromise any of your other PPE. This includes earmuffs, hard hats, and respirators.

If you can’t comfortably wear all your PPE at once or can’t wear the eye rotection without compromising the effectiveness of your other PPE, mention it to your supervisor. You should never work without the full protection of your PPE. If it’s not possible for you to wear all of it properly, they will need to order compatible safety gear and supply it for you.

Keep Your Eyes Safe

Putting on safety glasses is a quick and simple step that can save you from a very serious injury.

However, it only works if you’re wearing the right tye of eyewear.

So take a moment to make sure you have adequate protection. If you need safety goggles but there are only safety glasses close at hand, locate proper goggles before working. If you’re not sure whether your eyewear has the radiation protection you need, check with your supervisor.

Your eyes are important, but they can be easily injured. Always make sure they’re protected before you start working.