OSHA Eye and Face Protection – 29 CFR 1926.102

Eye and face injuries can occur in seconds and may result in temporary or permanent vision loss. Construction, manufacturing, maintenance, welding, grinding, chemical handling, and many other workplace activities can expose employees to hazards capable of seriously injuring the eyes or face.

OSHA eye and face protection requirements for construction are primarily found in 29 CFR 1926.102. Employers must ensure that affected employees use appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation.

Common Eye and Face Hazards

Different jobs can expose workers to very different hazards. Identifying the type and direction of the exposure is important when selecting appropriate protection.

Common workplace eye and face hazards include:

• Flying particles and objects – Grinding, drilling, cutting, chipping, and similar operations can produce high-speed fragments, chips, and debris.
• Dust and fine particles – Concrete work, woodworking, demolition, sanding, and other activities can generate airborne dust capable of entering or irritating the eyes.
• Chemical splashes and vapors – Acids, caustics, solvents, cleaning products, and other chemicals may splash, spray, or release irritating or harmful gases and vapors.
• Heat and molten material – Foundry work, welding, cutting, and other hot work may expose employees to sparks, hot particles, molten metal, and intense heat.
• Optical radiation – Welding, cutting, brazing, lasers, and other operations can expose the eyes to potentially harmful ultraviolet, infrared, or other radiation.

The appropriate eye or face protection depends on the particular hazard and work being performed.

Safety Glasses

Safety glasses are commonly used to protect employees from impact hazards such as flying particles and fragments.

Unlike ordinary prescription or fashion eyewear, occupational safety glasses are designed and tested to provide protection against specified workplace hazards.

When employees are exposed to hazards from flying objects, OSHA requires eye protection that provides side protection. Appropriate detachable side protectors are permitted when they meet the applicable requirements.

Safety glasses alone may not provide adequate protection against chemical splashes, heavy dust, or hazards capable of reaching the eyes from around the lenses.

Safety Goggles

Goggles provide more complete coverage around the eyes than conventional safety glasses.

Different goggles are designed for different hazards. Depending on their design, goggles may provide protection from:

• Impact.
• Dust and fine particles.
• Chemical splashes.
• Droplets.
• Certain optical-radiation hazards.

Ventilation is an important consideration. Directly vented, indirectly vented, and non-vented goggles can provide different levels of protection against dusts, liquids, and vapors.

Goggles should therefore be selected for the actual exposure rather than assuming that all goggles provide the same protection.

Face Shields

Face shields can provide additional protection to the face from hazards such as flying debris, chemical splashes, sparks, and molten material.

A face shield should not automatically be considered a substitute for safety glasses or goggles.

Where the hazard requires primary eye protection, appropriate safety glasses or goggles should be worn with the face shield. This provides protection to the eyes while the face shield provides additional coverage to the face.

Prescription Eyewear

Employees who wear prescription lenses still need appropriate eye protection when exposed to workplace hazards.

OSHA requires affected employees to use protection that either:

• Incorporates the employee’s prescription into the protective eyewear, or
• Can be worn over prescription lenses without disturbing the proper position of either the prescription lenses or the protective lenses.

Ordinary prescription glasses should not be assumed to provide occupational eye protection.

Prescription safety eyewear and over-the-glasses protective eyewear should be selected based on the hazards involved.

Welding and Cutting Eye Protection

Welding and cutting can expose employees to sparks, flying particles, hot metal, and potentially injurious optical radiation.

Appropriate welding helmets, hand shields, goggles, or other protection must use filter lenses or plates suitable for the operation.

The required filter shade depends on the work being performed. OSHA provides filter-lens shade guidance for operations including:

• Shielded metal-arc welding.
• Gas-shielded arc welding.
• Carbon-arc welding.
• Torch brazing.
• Oxygen cutting.
• Gas welding.
• Soldering.

Using a lens that is too light may expose the eyes to harmful radiation. Employees should use filter protection appropriate for the particular operation.

Laser Eye Protection

Employees whose work requires exposure to laser beams must be provided with suitable laser safety goggles.

Laser eye protection must be selected for the specific wavelength involved and have sufficient optical density for the energy of the laser.

OSHA also requires protective laser goggles to be labeled with information identifying the wavelengths for which they are intended, their optical density, and visible-light transmission.

Protective-Eyewear Standards and Markings

OSHA’s construction eye and face protection standard recognizes specified editions of ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 and also permits protective devices that the employer demonstrates are at least as effective as devices constructed in accordance with the recognized standards.

Protective equipment should also be distinctly marked so the manufacturer can be identified.

Many commonly used safety glasses carry markings such as Z87 or Z87+, which relate to the performance criteria for which the eyewear was designed and tested.

Markings should be considered together with the manufacturer’s information and the particular hazard involved when selecting protection.

Fit, Condition, and Compatibility

Eye and face protection must do more than simply be present.

Protectors should:

• Provide adequate protection for the particular hazard.
• Fit properly.
• Be reasonably comfortable under the conditions of use.
• Not unduly interfere with employee movement.
• Be durable.
• Be capable of being cleaned and disinfected as appropriate.
• Remain in serviceable condition.

Eye and face protection must also be compatible with other required PPE.

For example, safety glasses, goggles, respirators, hard hats, hearing protection, and face shields may be worn together during some operations. One item of PPE should not interfere with the fit or protective function of another.

Choosing the Appropriate Protection

No single type of safety eyewear is appropriate for every workplace hazard.

Protection suitable for flying particles may not protect against chemical splashes. Chemical-splash goggles may not provide the optical-radiation protection required for welding. A face shield that protects the face may still require safety glasses or goggles underneath.

Selection should consider:

• Type and severity of the hazard.
• Direction of exposure.
• Work being performed.
• Potential for impact, splash, dust, or radiation.
• Surrounding conditions.
• Employee vision requirements.
• Fit and comfort.
• Compatibility with other PPE.

In some situations, more than one form of eye and face protection is necessary.

Protecting Employees from Eye and Face Injuries

Preventing eye and face injuries begins with recognizing the hazard and selecting protection designed for that exposure.

Employers should evaluate the work being performed, provide appropriate protective equipment, ensure employees understand when and how it must be used, and replace damaged or unsuitable protection.

For additional regulatory information, see OSHA 29 CFR 1926.102 – Eye and Face Protection.

For company-specific requirements covering PPE hazard assessments, selection, responsibilities, inspections, replacement, training, and use, refer to the company’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Program.