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Safety eyewear: Fit for purpose
25 January 2013
Research carried out on behalf of Specsavers Corporate Eyecare has revealed that 32% of health and safety professionals believe staff remove safety eyewear due to lack of comfort or fit. Jim Lythgow, the company's director
Research carried out on behalf of Specsavers Corporate
Eyecare has revealed that 32% of health and safety
professionals believe staff remove safety eyewear due to
lack of comfort or fit. Jim Lythgow, the company's director of
strategic alliances, comments
Specifying 'appropriate' safety eyewear relates to more than just the right impact resistance for the task. Eyewear must be suitable for purpose, carefully selected and professionally fitted.
The importance of comfort is often underestimated. Even the best, most robust and expensive eyewear will not provide protection if it is not worn. In fact, the HSE places comfort and fit at the very top of its 'key points' regarding eye protection: 'Make sure the eye/face protection fits the user and does not fall off easily. It should be issued on a personal basis.' For this reason, the procurement route for safety eyewear is particularly important.
Even when buying a cheap pair of nonprescription sunglasses from a high street store, most people will at least try them on.
There are, however, plenty of PPE catalogues and websites offering plain and prescription safety eyewear with no opportunity for items to be tried for comfort, let alone adjusted and fitted for the individual. Researching a supplier that offers a complete fitting service can help ensure safety eyewear is worn by all relevant employees, at all relevant times.
Spectacles, goggles, faceshields There are three main types of safety eyewear: spectacles (glasses), goggles and faceshields.
Plano (no prescription) off-the-shelf safety spectacles have a single moulded frame and lens. Goggles provide the next level of protection, as they enclose the eyes from all angles. Neither or these can be fitted with prescription lenses. Faceshields are designed to guard the face but do not offer full eye protection. While it is possible to wear eyeshields or goggles over prescription glasses, these are not recommended for longterm or regular use. There is obviously the physical discomfort of wearing both together and two sets of lenses can also cause light refraction.
Lenses that are separately fitted to the frames can be supplied to meet an individual prescription as well as the required safety standards. With side shields incorporated for lateral protection, these spectacles may often be appropriate for those in need of corrected vision as well as eye protection.
Frame and lenses The selection of the frames and lenses will have a big impact both on the suitability for the task and the comfort for the wearer.
Weight is a key consideration. Plastic frames tend to be thicker and more rigid than metal frames, making them less adjustable.
However, they may feel more sturdy and secure. Metal frames are more flexible, so are fully adjustable. They often include a saddle nose pad which aids a more comfortable fit.
Choice of frame material may well come down to industry-specific requirements.
The weight of lenses should also be taken into account. For example, polycarbonate lenses typically offer the greatest impact resistance and the lowest weight.
With functionality and comfort satisfied, aesthetics are becoming a more common consideration, and it is now possible to choose from male, female or unisex styles, in various colours and finishes.
Prescriptive advice Perhaps surprisingly, employers are not legally required to provide an eyetest for employees prior to selecting safety glasses. A responsible employer will, however, surely want to know that their employees can see well enough to safely carry out their role.
Relying on an employee's previous prescription is not recommended as eyesight can easily deteriorate.
When buying everyday spectacles, or those for VDU use, it can be cost effective to take advantage of offers and upgrades from the optician. It is unlikely an optician will offer upgrades like reactions lenses or varifocals for safety eyewear: the optician is not in a position to know every action and environment in which the safety spectacles will be used and specification changes should never be based on assumptions.
Employees who require prescription safety eyewear should be provided with the lens type they most commonly wear. Safety eyewear is not a good opportunity to experiment with bifocals or varifocals if they are not usually worn. It would be irresponsible too for an employer to only provide single-vision safety eyewear for an employee whose usual spectacles are multi-focal.
Fit for purpose is of course of paramount importance for safety eyewear. Fit for comfort and fit for the individual are vital, however, in facilitating the acceptance of safety eyewear and helping to ensure that it is worn all day, every day when required.
Specifying 'appropriate' safety eyewear relates to more than just the right impact resistance for the task. Eyewear must be suitable for purpose, carefully selected and professionally fitted.
The importance of comfort is often underestimated. Even the best, most robust and expensive eyewear will not provide protection if it is not worn. In fact, the HSE places comfort and fit at the very top of its 'key points' regarding eye protection: 'Make sure the eye/face protection fits the user and does not fall off easily. It should be issued on a personal basis.' For this reason, the procurement route for safety eyewear is particularly important.
Even when buying a cheap pair of nonprescription sunglasses from a high street store, most people will at least try them on.
There are, however, plenty of PPE catalogues and websites offering plain and prescription safety eyewear with no opportunity for items to be tried for comfort, let alone adjusted and fitted for the individual. Researching a supplier that offers a complete fitting service can help ensure safety eyewear is worn by all relevant employees, at all relevant times.
Spectacles, goggles, faceshields There are three main types of safety eyewear: spectacles (glasses), goggles and faceshields.
Plano (no prescription) off-the-shelf safety spectacles have a single moulded frame and lens. Goggles provide the next level of protection, as they enclose the eyes from all angles. Neither or these can be fitted with prescription lenses. Faceshields are designed to guard the face but do not offer full eye protection. While it is possible to wear eyeshields or goggles over prescription glasses, these are not recommended for longterm or regular use. There is obviously the physical discomfort of wearing both together and two sets of lenses can also cause light refraction.
Lenses that are separately fitted to the frames can be supplied to meet an individual prescription as well as the required safety standards. With side shields incorporated for lateral protection, these spectacles may often be appropriate for those in need of corrected vision as well as eye protection.
Frame and lenses The selection of the frames and lenses will have a big impact both on the suitability for the task and the comfort for the wearer.
Weight is a key consideration. Plastic frames tend to be thicker and more rigid than metal frames, making them less adjustable.
However, they may feel more sturdy and secure. Metal frames are more flexible, so are fully adjustable. They often include a saddle nose pad which aids a more comfortable fit.
Choice of frame material may well come down to industry-specific requirements.
The weight of lenses should also be taken into account. For example, polycarbonate lenses typically offer the greatest impact resistance and the lowest weight.
With functionality and comfort satisfied, aesthetics are becoming a more common consideration, and it is now possible to choose from male, female or unisex styles, in various colours and finishes.
Prescriptive advice Perhaps surprisingly, employers are not legally required to provide an eyetest for employees prior to selecting safety glasses. A responsible employer will, however, surely want to know that their employees can see well enough to safely carry out their role.
Relying on an employee's previous prescription is not recommended as eyesight can easily deteriorate.
When buying everyday spectacles, or those for VDU use, it can be cost effective to take advantage of offers and upgrades from the optician. It is unlikely an optician will offer upgrades like reactions lenses or varifocals for safety eyewear: the optician is not in a position to know every action and environment in which the safety spectacles will be used and specification changes should never be based on assumptions.
Employees who require prescription safety eyewear should be provided with the lens type they most commonly wear. Safety eyewear is not a good opportunity to experiment with bifocals or varifocals if they are not usually worn. It would be irresponsible too for an employer to only provide single-vision safety eyewear for an employee whose usual spectacles are multi-focal.
Fit for purpose is of course of paramount importance for safety eyewear. Fit for comfort and fit for the individual are vital, however, in facilitating the acceptance of safety eyewear and helping to ensure that it is worn all day, every day when required.
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