OSHA Standards for Eye and Face Protection

• By: www.osha.gov
• Date: August 16, 2010
• Source: www.osha.gov

1910.133(a)

General requirements.

The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation.

The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses eye protection that provides side protection when there is a hazard from flying objects. Detachable side protectors (e.g. clip-on or slide-on side shields) meeting the pertinent requirements of this section are acceptable.

The employer shall ensure that each affected employee who wears prescription lenses while engaged in operations that involve eye hazards wears eye protection that incorporates the prescription in its design, or wears eye protection that can be worn over the prescription lenses without disturbing the proper position of the prescription lenses or the protective lenses.

Eye and face PPE shall be distinctly marked to facilitate identification of the manufacturer.

The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses equipment with filter lenses that have a shade number appropriate for the work being performed for protection from injurious light radiation. The following is a listing of appropriate shade numbers for various operations.

           Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy
____________________________________________________________________

                                                         Minimum(*)
 Operations    Electrode Size 1/32 in.   Arc Current     Protective
                                                           Shade
_____________________________________________________________________

Shielded metal
 arc welding     Less than 3 .........  Less than 60 ...     7
                 3-5 .................  60-160 .........     8
                 5-8 .................  160-250 ........    10
                 More than 8 .........  250-550 ........    11
_____________________________________________________________________

Gas metal arc
 welding and
 flux cored
 arc welding                            less than 60 ...     7
                                        60-160 .........    10
                                        160-250 ........    10
                                        250-500 ........    10
_____________________________________________________________________

Gas Tungsten
 arc welding                            less than 50 ...     8
                                        50-150 .........     8
                                        150-500 ........    10
_____________________________________________________________________

Air carbon        (Light) .............  less than 500 ..    10
Arc cutting       (Heavy) .............  500-1000 .......    11
_____________________________________________________________________

Plasma arc welding                       less than 20 ...     6
                                        20-100 .........     8
                                        100-400 ........    10
                                        400-800 ........    11

_____________________________________________________________________

Plasma arc        (light)(**) .........  less than 300 ..     8
 cutting         (medium)(**) ........  300-400 ........     9
                 (heavy)(**) .........  400-800 ........    10
_____________________________________________________________________

Torch brazing                            ................     3
Torch soldering                          ................     2
Carbon arc welding                       ................    14
_____________________________________________________________________

      Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy
_____________________________________________________________________

                                                          Minimum(*)
Operations    Plate thickness-inches  Plate thickness-mm   Protective
                                                            Shade
_____________________________________________________________________

Gas Welding:
   Light      Under 1/8 ............  Under 3.2 .........      4
   Medium     1/8 to 1/2 ...........  3.2 to 12.7 .......      5
   Heavy      Over 1/2 .............  Over 12.7 .........      6
_____________________________________________________________________

Oxygen cutting:
   Light      Under 1 ..............  Under 25 ..........      3
   Medium     1 to 6 ...............  25 to 150 .........      4
   Heavy      Over 6 ...............  Over 150 ..........      5
______________________________________________________________________
 Footnote(*) As a rule of thumb, start with a shade that is too dark
to see the weld zone. Then go to a lighter shade which gives
sufficient view of the weld zone without going below the minimum. In
oxyfuel gas welding or cutting where the torch produces a high yellow
light, it is desirable to use a filter lens that absorbs the yellow
or sodium line in the visible light of the (spectrum) operation.
 Footnote(**) These values apply where the actual arc is clearly
seen. Experience has shown that lighter filters may be used when the
arc is hidden by the workpiece.

Criteria for protective eye and face protection.

Protective eye and face protection devices must comply with any of the following consensus standards:

ANSI Z87.1-2003, "American National Standard Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection," which is incorporated by reference in § 1910.6;

ANSI Z87.1-1989 (R-1998), "American National Standard Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection," which is incorporated by reference in § 1910.6; or

ANSI Z87.1-1989, "American National Standard Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection," which is incorporated by reference in § 1910.6.

Protective eye and face protection devices that the employer demonstrates are at least as effective as protective eye and face protection devices that are constructed in accordance with one of the above consensus standards will be deemed to be in compliance with the requirements of this section.

[59 FR 16360, April 6, 1994; 59 FR 33910, July 1, 1994; 61 FR 9227, March 7, 1996; 61 FR 19547, May 2, 1996; 74 FR 46356, Sept. 9, 2009]