The importance of safety eyewear

Safety eyewear is considered an essential item of PPE in laboratories and should always be worn in environments where hazardous or contaminated liquids are a problem. However, chemical splashes can also be common in areas outside of the lab too. For example, when a domestic plumber is called to a blocked pipe, more often than not they will find that the homeowner has already tried to remedy the blockage by flooding the pipe with bleach and other caustic agents. Should the plumber then unknowingly open the pipe without adequate eye protection, there is a risk of splashback, which could have painful and damaging consequences.

In addition, safety eyewear acts as a defence against harmful UVA and UVB rays, which has been linked as a contributing factor to cataracts disease. However, as technology advances, people are now being exposed to even more new dangers in their everyday jobs – such as lasers and Infra-Red radiation. It is important to therefore always ensure your safety eyewear features lenses designed with these risks in mind.

For example, Shade 3 and Shade 5 Green lenses from the Pyramex range, available from Supertouch, feature an Infra-Red (IR) filter, and are commonly used in gas welding applications. These allow very small levels of visible light through the lens, while blocking almost all UV, IR and Blue Light, giving the welder complete protection from the process.