If your small business deals with eye or face hazards that could harm your employees—such as particles, liquids and fluids, acids, gasses, or anything infectious—then it's important and often legally required that you provide proper PPE. Eye injuries on the job typically occur either because eye protection is not provided (or worn) or because the protection is not adequate. In some cases, it may not be the right type of eye protection for the hazard, the PPE may be worn incorrectly, or it may not fit the employee.
To keep everyone on your team safe from harm, here are 5 critical elements for your small business to consider when reviewing your eye safety PPE and practices.
1. Perform a Hazard Assessment
Start with a thorough hazard assessment of your facility—and be sure not to skip this important first step when it comes to eye safety. This assessment is essentially a full walkthrough of your workplace to identify any and all hazards, followed by an analysis of the data. Your business can then use this information to determine all eye hazards and begin preparing PPE to protect against them.
2. Find the Right PPE
Once you've determined the eye safety hazards in your workplace with an assessment, you can purchase and distribute the proper PPE to protect your team. Make sure that you have the proper PPE sizes to fit all of your employees. Eye and face protection gear should meet the ANSI Z87.1-2010, ANSI Z87.1-2003, or ANSI Z87.1-1989 standards; find more detailed information here.
3. Train Employees to Use PPE
Of course, your eye and face PPE will only be effective if your employees are using it properly, so OSHA requires that you train all employees who encounter eye hazards to know when they should wear PPE, what type of PPE to use, and how to properly put it on, take it off, and adjust it for a secure fit. Employees should also be thoroughly trained on any limitations of the PPE they're using, as well as its proper care, maintenance, and procedures for disposal when it is no longer protective.
4. Important Considerations for Eye Protection
There are two other considerations you should take into account as you prepare to protect employees from eye hazards: whether any of your employees wear prescription lenses, and whether there are any hazards specific to your industry or facility.
Prescription glasses or contact lenses will not adequately protect your employees from hazards. Any PPE used in your facility should be designed to fit over any existing eyewear so that your employees can see while remaining protected.
When it comes to your industry, eye protection is required in a wide range of job types, including carpenters, electricians, plumbers, sanders, welders, and many others. Even if your industry is not required to use eye protection, you will still need to perform a hazard assessment to ensure that you do not require eye and face PPE in your facility.
5. Know the Types of Eye Protection
When choosing eye protection and PPE for your small business, make sure you review each item for the following characteristics:
- Protection from the specific hazards in your facility
- Proper fit, sizing, and comfort, as well as the ability to accommodate prescription eyewear
- No restrictions to movement or vision that would affect safety
- Durability and cleanability
- Whether eye protection allows any other required PPE to function with no restrictions
Learn more about the most common types of eye protection in our quick comparison guide below.
| Safety Glasses | Safety Goggles | Face Shields |
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| The most basic form of eye protection for protecting your eyes from hazards. Wraparound safety glasses offer some side protection, but not as much as goggles. | Safety goggles form a tight seal around the eyes and part of the face, offering the same protection from hazards that glasses do, plus additional protection from splashes, dust, and particles. | Provides an additional layer of protection for the whole face against splashes, liquids, and airborne hazards. Can be worn in addition to some glasses and goggles. |
Making eye safety and protection a priority for your small business through the consistent use of safety glasses and goggles is not only a regulatory necessity due to OSHA rules, but it's also a crucial investment in the long-term success of your business. No matter what industry you're working in, safeguarding the vision of your workers will enhance workplace safety and foster a culture of responsibility that also boosts the health and reputation of your business.
Shopping for safety glasses, goggles, face shields, and other PPE for your business? Find everything you need to get the job done at Zoro.com!
Product Compliance and Suitability
The product statements contained in this guide are intended for general informational purposes only. Such product statements do not constitute a product recommendation or representation as to the appropriateness, accuracy, completeness, correctness, or currentness of the information provided. Information provided in this guide does not replace the use by you of any manufacturer instructions, technical product manual, or other professional resource or adviser available to you. Always read, understand, and follow all manufacturer instructions.