Page 34 - OHS, November/December 2020

VISION PROTECTION
A Modern 2020 Vision: How PPE Can Work Together
Successfully combining vision protection with face coverings to protect workers from COVID-19 may be logistically challenging, but it is not impossible.
BY ZACH RICHMAN
Luckily, manufacturers of eye protection and other forms of PPE are taking these newly required factors into play when designing products and are striving to create PPE that works together in harmony, ultimately providing users with solutions that allow them to protect their eyes and also abide by mask mandates without any interference.
Eye Know the Factors
To adhere to this ever-changing landscape, there are multiple new factors that manufacturers must take into consideration when creating eye protection such as industry standards, testing methods and user preference.
According to the most recent data available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 44 percent of all occupational eye injuries happen in the construction field. In 2018, there were nearly 20,000 eye injuries across all occupations and over 8,000 eye injuries on construction jobsites alone. When it comes to eye protection, there are multiple standards and testing methods detailing performance and safety. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) divides eyewear and face protection regulations into different sections. Within the ANSI Z87.1 standard, optical, physical and markings requirements make up the first segment and optional requirements such as anti-fog properties make up the second. A third section further details any optional feature requirements and describes the physical requirements of the different projectiles used for any impact procedures. Alternatively, there is also a European Standard (EN) for eye protection. EN166 covers the physical and optical requirements of spectacles, goggles and face shields and the different markings for the varying required and optional performances. In order to meet these standard requirements, eyewear manufacturers are required to run their products through a series of tests:
■ Anti-Scratch. To test scratch resistance performance, safety glasses are often put through a series of abrasions and then put into a machine that measures the resulting haze. The higher the haze, the more scratches the lens, which leads to a lower scratch resistance performance rating.
■ Anti-Fog. To measure anti-fog performance, manufacturers soak the lens in distilled water for an extended period then allow them to air dry naturally. Once dry, they are once again placed in water and fog-resistance is measured by how long it takes the lens to fog up. For maximum performance, some manufactures surpass the standard when testing fog-resistance.
As the CDC continues to require face coverings in public settings, PPE users are becoming hyper aware of the disconnect between face masks and eye protection. From eyeglasses to sunglasses to safety glasses, nearly all eye protection and enhancement users know that when paired with a face covering, their glasses easily fog up and/or don’t fit comfortably with other PPE, ultimately hindering visibility.
Unfortunately, not all PPE is created equal, even more so when it comes to eye protection. Proper eye protection is critical, however, as standards evolve and mask mandates increase. In turn, this frustration forces users to question protection offerings and can cause users to choose between vision and health compliance or dust protection on the jobsite.
Emergence of Masks
Safety glasses have been a staple on the jobsite for years, but now, with mask mandate requirements, workers must use them simultaneously with respirators, face coverings and/or face shields. For many, these new requirements have led to a constant imbalance between glasses and face coverings. Unfortunately, there isn’t a comfortable trade off and this imbalance often leads to constant lens fogging, headaches or irritation from ill-fitting equipment.
28 Occupational Health & Safety | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020
www.ohsonline.com
Sorn340 Studio Images/Shutterstock.com