Eye protection
Eye protection comes in three forms – spectacles (safety
glasses), goggles and face visors. Eyes may be damaged
by chemical and solvent splashes or vapours, fl ying par-
ticles, molten metals or plastics, non-ionizing radiation
(arc welding and lasers) and dust. Spectacles are suit-
able for low-risk hazards (low speed particles such as
machine swarf). Some protection against scratching of
the lenses can be provided but this is the common rea-
son for replacement. Prescription lenses are also avail-
able for people who normally wear spectacles.
Goggles are best to protect the eyes from dust or
solvent vapours because they fi t tightly around the
eyes. Visors offer protection to the face as well as the
eyes and do not steam up so readily in hot and humid
environments. For protection against very bright lights,
special light fi ltering lenses are used (e.g. in arc welding).
Maintenance and regular cleaning are essential for the
effi cient operation of eye protection.
When selecting eye protection, several factors need
to be considered. These include the nature of the hazard
(the severity of the hazard and its associated risk will
determine the quality of protection required), comfort
and user acceptability, compatibility with other personal
protective equipment, training and maintenance require-
ments and costs.
Protective clothing
Protective clothing includes aprons, boots and headgear
(hard hats and bump caps). Aprons are normally made
of PVC and protect against spillages but can become
uncomfortable to wear in hot environments. Other lighter
fabrics are available for use in these circumstances.
Safety footwear protects against falling objects, colli-
sion with hard or sharp objects, hot or molten materials,
slippery surfaces and against chemical spills. They have
a metal toe-cap and come in the form of shoes, ankle
boots or knee-length boots and are made of a variety
of materials dependent on the particular hazard (e.g.
thermally insulated against cold environments). They
must be used with care near live unprotected electri-
city. Specialist advice is needed for use with fl ammable
liquids.
It is important to note that appropriate personal
protective equipment should be made available to
visitors and other members of the public when visiting
workplaces where hazardous substances are being
used. It is also important to stress that managers and
supervisors must lead by example, particularly if there is
a legal requirement to wear particular personal protective
equipment. Refusals by employees to wear mandatory
personal protective equipment must lead to some form
of disciplinary action.
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