Eye protection against thrown objects, dust, or splashing had been for a long time the main, if not the only function of safety glasses.
Medical and technological breakthroughs allowed us to better understand the adverse effects of the light on the eyes and develop more specialized protective equipment.
While the size and material of the glasses will protect the eyes against impacts, the lens will provide protection against radiation and improve the worker’s perception.
Protective eyewear has several challenges to face such as:
- UV rays
- Light
- Blinding snow
- Shadows
- And more!
To mitigate the intense effects of the light and filter harmful rays, most safety glasses have a UV filter that varies according to the different models.
To provide a specific type of filter for a task, manufacturers have developed several different shades of lenses.
THE BENEFITS AND LIMITS OF EACH SHADE
Some shades such as orange, blue or purple will allow more light in, which will blur colour perception.
Therefore, those tints are not recommended for workers who must work with colour codes or traffic lights. On the other hand, amber, smoke or espresso lenses will reflect more accurately colours.
For outdoors, prefer smoke shades as well as mirror silver or blue. The last two protect against excessive glaring and reduce reflection. Espresso lenses offer basically the same benefits in addition to improving depth perception and reduce eye fatigue.
As for amber lenses, they improve contrast and are particularly efficient in low light. However, they are not designed for outdoor use.
COLOURED LENSES, BEYOND EYE PROTECTION!
Many work accidents are caused by visual perception deficiency. Some tasks put the workers more at risk. For example, think about forklift operators driving from one building to another.
The indoor/outdoor mirror lens has been specifically designed for them as it reduces the changes in light intensity.
A hand, a foot, or even a life could be saved with an improved depth and contrast perception when using different lens shades.
Here's how to choose the right pair of glasses that will support these lenses.
HOW TO ENSURE EMPLOYEES HAVE ACCESS TO THE BEST PROTECTION?
Within a company, the more numerous and varied the tasks, the more difficult it will be to provide adequate eye protection for workers.
Therefore, it is essential to create and implement a methodical management of the workers' needs concerning eye safety. To achieve this, it must include:
documentation of all positions and tasks requiring eye protection;
determination of light sources, as well as the type and degree of glare, found in the different workplaces;
identification of the risks for the eyes.
Complete this exercise in collaboration with employees to identify more specific sources of visual discomfort and better understand the task requirements for visual acuity.
However, only providing the employees with the right protective equipment is not enough to prevent accidents. It is important for workers to be informed of the potential workplace hazards in order to increase awareness.
This is particularly important concerning radiation. It is a dangerous threat as its harmful effects on the eyes are rarely immediate. Instead, radiation has long-term consequences that are often irreversible.
Do not neglect the future health of your employees’ eyes!
Would you like to be advised on the management of your eye protection equipment? Talk to one of our experts today!
