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Return To Safety Article Archive   Search the Article Archives Required PPE - OSHA Approved Safety Glasses By Nathan Waterman It used to be common for workers to scoff at the idea of wearing any sort of personal protection equipment, or PPE. However, the times, the technology and the laws have changed. The workplace today is a much safer place as a result. The Occupational Safety and Health Act was passed in 1970 to 'assure safe and healthy working conditions for working men and women'. OSHA, the governmental agency responsible for the enforcement of the 1970 Act, determines the safety regulations required for all businesses in the US. Hardhats, safety glasses and goggles, steel-toed boots, protective clothing, harnesses and radioactive dosimeter badges are just a few examples of PPE that may be required on todays job-sites. The degree and type of PPE use is dependent on the industry. Mandatory Personal Protective Equipment OSHA requires that all workers use mandatory PPE in any job that poses a threat to ones health. It is the employers responsibility to assess the workplace for potential health threats and implement the necessary steps to address any hazard. If such a hazard is present, the employer must supply the PPE and educate the employee on both the potential hazards and the proper use of the PPE. Safety glasses must be worn in any situation where the worker is or might be exposed to flying debris, often in the form of sparks, dust or splashes. The safety glasses of today have advanced far beyond the thick, black rimmed spectacles or the awkward goggles of the 1950s. Safety glasses can be made to a prescription and safety bifocals, trifocals and progressive focus lenses are standard. The lens material, too, has changed. There now exist several options, from the original plastic to a new substance, polycarbonate. Polycarbonate lenses are lighter and more impact resistant, but sacrifice optical clarity. A third material is Trivex, the most impact resistant, while retaining excellent optical clarity, but this lens material is quite expensive and still not as widely available as polycarbonate. All of these materials can be coated a variety of tints, both cosmetic and functional. Goggles have become somewhat of a dinosaur, as the tendency to fog, the poor optical clarity and the downright discomfort have made them obsolete, except in specific circumstances. Z-87 Cerification Any safety glasses that meet or exceed OSHA standards has 'Z-87' stamped on the lens or temple piece. Thanks to advances in chemistry and the safety industry, the safety glasses of today, while virtually indistinguishable from trendy, brand name sunglasses, protect the user from almost any hazard from a flying chip to a caustic liquid. About the Author: Nathan Waterman trained and certified in heavy industial PPE use and OSHA requirements reports for http://www.safety-glasses-n-goggles.com recently researched industrial prescription safety glasses. Biohazardous Infectious Material

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