How Do I Choose The Best Safety Glasses?
Confused about what type of safety glasses you need for your workplace or hazardous activities? Learn how to choose the best pair with our step-by-step guide.
Safety eyewear is an essential piece of personal protective equipment used in many industries, from construction to manufacturing. They provide significant protection against a variety of hazards, such as flying debris, dust, chemical splashes and more. It is, therefore, essential that workers select the right type of safety glasses for their specific job environment.
This step-by-step guide by uvex will provide you with the necessary information to make an informed decision and find the best safety glasses for your needs.
Step One: Identify Your Application
The first step is to assess the type of application that you do, the hazards present, and what type of protection you require.
The type of application areas can be broken down into the following categories:
- Low-Risk Areas – These include areas which are not exposed to direct hazards such as dust, chemicals, molten metal or harmful UV radiation.
- Medium-Risk Areas – These include areas with an increased risk of exposure to hazardous substances and flying debris.
- High-Risk Areas – These include areas where there is an even higher risk of exposure to hazardous substances and flying debris.
Step Two: Select the Right Lens Tint
After identifying your work application, the next crucial step is to choose an appropriate lens tint for your safety glasses. Having the right lens tint is crucial to ensure that you’re getting the optimal protection for your eyes.
Here are a two examples of lens tints available at uvex:
CBR65:
CBR65 stands for contrast enhancement, blue light reduction and relaxed vision with 65% light permeability. With more and more people working under artificial lighting, looking into blue screens such as computers and phones, the eyes strain a lot more. This is why CBR65 lenses are designed to reduce blue light, improve contrast and offer relaxed vision.
Grey Gas Welding Protection 5:
The grey welding protection 5 lens tint is suitable for gas welding, brazing and cutting. This lens tint offers a very high level of protection against infrared radiation (IR-A) as well as UV radiation. Unprotected eyes during gas welding can lead to arc eyes, a form of "sunburn" to the eyes. The grey welding protection 5 lens tint also offers good colour recognition and contrast in medium to bright ambient lighting.
Step Three: Decide on the Best Coating for Your Application
Together with the right lens tint, you need to choose the best coating for your safety glasses.
Coating choices at uvex include the following:
Anti-Fog:
The coating prevents lenses from fogging up, which means you can see better in humid or cold environments.
Anti-Scratch:
This is an important feature, as scratches on the lenses can lead to premature lens replacement.
Supravision Extreme:
The best of both worlds, as this special coating has a scratch-resistant exterior and a permanent anti-fog interior.
Infradur Plus:
Anti-fog on the inside, extremely scratch resistant on the outside, and ultra-resistant to extreme welding, this special coating is designed for extra protection and comfort.
Step Four: Ensure a Comfortable Fit
With the right lens tint, it’s now important to ensure you have comfortable safety glasses. Any eyewear that does not fit the shape of your face and head will not provide adequate protection. When selecting a pair of safety glasses, it is important to look for models that provide a comfortable and secure fit. Otherwise, you might face the risk of flying debris from the sides entering your eyes.
Choosing The Best Eyewear - Conclusion
Choosing the right safety eyewear is essential for protecting your eyes from hazards. You can find the best safety glasses for you by using this guide and considering the above mentioned factors. If you need more help in choosing the best safety glasses, get in touch with uvex today!