Is a pair of glasses with shatterproof lenses a good substitute for prescription safety glasses? Some people ask this question because it’s more convenient to use the glasses they already have and perhaps because it saves some money.
However, you should understand that there’s more to safety eyewear than shatterproof lenses. Here are three reasons for this:
The Lens Must Pass ANSI Standards for Safety Eyewear
Your shatterproof lens doesn’t necessarily meet the tough standards of ANSI (American National Standards Institute). Does your work require high impact lenses or low impact lenses? Do your lenses meet the minimum ANSI thickness requirements? Are you sure the distributor’s shatterproof claims about your lenses are true?
The Frame Must Resist Impact
A fast projectile impacting your lens could pop it out of the frame or break the frame apart. The same is true if the projectile directly struck the frame. Whether the projectile, lens, or frame strikes your eye, the result is still an injury or possibly blindness.
Ordinary Glasses Design Doesn’t Provide Adequate Protection Coverage
Prescription safety glasses are larger and provide protection from multiple angles. Ordinary glasses don’t protect against projectile impacts from the side and may allow projectile entry from above and below the lens. If you’re working with dangerous liquids, the eyewear should guard against splash and drippage. Different hazards will require different types of safety eyewear.
The reasons for using ANSI certified prescription safety glasses should be clear. In addition, an old pair of safety eyewear may not be safe if it’s damaged or the lenses have scratch marks that interfere with good vision. They’re also unusable if you can’t see clearly with them because of vision changes.
If you have questions about this or require information on getting safety glasses appropriate for your work or activity, please contact us.
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