OSHA Standard Subpart E 1926.95(a) Application – Protective equipment, including personal protective equipment for eyes, face, head, and extremities, protective clothing, respiratory devices, and protective shields and barriers, shall be provided, used, and maintained in a sanitary and reliable condition wherever it is necessary by reason of hazards of processes or environment, chemical hazards, radiological hazards, or mechanical irritants encountered in a manner capable of causing injury or impairment in the function of any part of the body through absorption, inhalation or physical contact.
OSHA Standard Subpart E 1926.95(c) Design – All personal protective equipment shall be of safe design and construction for the work to be performed.
OSHA Standard Subpart E 1926.102(a)(1) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids, or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation.
OSHA Standard Subpart E 1926.102(a)(2) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses eye protection that provides side protection when there is a hazard from flying objects. Detachable side protectors (e.g., clip-on or slide-on side shields) meeting the pertinent requirements of this section are acceptable.
OSHA Standard Subpart E 1926.102(a)(3) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee who wears prescription lenses while engaged in operations that involve eye hazards wears eye protection that incorporates the prescription in its design, or wears eye protection that can be worn over the prescription lenses without disturbing the proper position of the prescription lenses or the protective lenses.
OSHA Standard Subpart E 1926.303(c)(9) All employees using abrasive wheels shall be protected by eye protection equipment in accordance with the requirements of subpart E of the OSHA standard.
OSHA Standard Subpart E 1926.102(a)(5) Protectors shall meet the following minimum requirements: 1926.102(a)(5)(i) They shall provide adequate protection against the particular hazards for which they are designed, 1926.102(a)(5)(ii) They shall be reasonably comfortable when worn under the designated conditions. 1926.102(a)(5)(iii) They shall fit snugly and shall not unduly interfere with the movements of the wearer. 1926.102(a)(5)(iv) They shall be durable. 1926.102(a)(5)(v) They shall be capable of being disinfected. 1926.102(a)(5)(vi) They shall be easily cleanable.
Thousands of people are blinded each year from work-related eye injuries that could have been prevented with the proper selection and use of eye and face protection.
What You Need to Know:
1. Eye and face protection is a requirement if there is exposure to your eyes or face.
2. The employer is responsible for requiring protection if there is exposure to the employee’s eyes or face. If you do not wear appropriate eye protection enforcement is not an option it is a requirement.
3. If doing any task where a chip from the tool or material can get in your eyes you need protection i.e., drilling, screwing, cutting, using wire brushes, any sort of demolition, and any overhead work.
4. When exposed to chemicals such as cleaners, lubricants, paint stripers, sealants, spray or batt insulation, and even cement safety goggles might be required.
5. Using a face shield is not a substitute for safety glasses – SAFETY GLASSES NEED TO BE WORN IN ADDITION TO THE FACE SHIELD.
6. Safety glasses hanging from your neck, on top of the hard hat, behind the hard hat, and hanging from your shirt provides no protection from a hazard. Wear them properly or it is not considered wearing them.
7. All employees using cutting or chipping tools shall be protected by eye protection equipment in accordance with the requirements of OSHA Subpart E. This includes safety glasses and face shields.
8. Regular reading glasses are not considered safety glasses. Safety glasses must meet proper guidelines.
9. Welding and laser use around you requires eye protection or screens even if you are not doing the work.
10. Even if there is no hazard 100% safety glasses utilization might be required by the General Contractor, Construction Manager, or the Owner.