You may have seen police officers wearing tactical sunglasses whenever they’re patrolling. You might think that the glasses they’re wearing are for show. But, the glasses they wear can withstand a heavy beating. You will never know when a person will try to blind them by throwing dirt. The glasses they wear can provide them clear, unobstructed vision.
If you’re wondering if you can get the glasses they have, the answer is yes. Many workers are wearing what the police officers have because of their job. They are safety glasses and are often worn by people who are working in a hazardous environment. Anything can happen in these areas, and that includes eye injuries.
Cutting Down Potential Eye Injuries
Before the invention of safety glasses, construction workers never had enough protection with their eyes. The only protection they ever had were work gloves and boots. The amount of eye-related injuries increased significantly, which is why companies created safety glasses to prevent eye injury statistics from further increasing.
The Dangers of Not Wearing Protective Eyewear
People wear protective eyewear to prevent any eye injuries from happening to them. There were many instances when workers would be too confident with their job that they don’t need to wear safety glasses. You should never make this a habit, no matter how long you have been working at your job.
An example is when workers are inside laboratories where there’s a lot of hazardous chemicals lying around. If you happen to work in this environment, it is critical to wear safety glasses. You are handling corrosive chemicals, even a drop of it on your skin can burn you. At one point, the chemicals might spill, and it can go into your eyes. It can cause a person temporary or severe blindness because of how corrosive the chemical was.
Another scenario where one needs to wear safety glasses is construction. Whether you’re a construction worker or a foreman overseeing the entire project, you need to have a construction helmet and safety glasses worn at all times. There might be workers welding a portion of the structure, and you wouldn’t want the sparks to enter your eyes. If ever this happens, you can expect an irritated eye for the rest of the day.
Know the Markings on Your Protective Eyewear
You can determine the specifications of safety glasses because of the marks usually found at the sides of the frame and on the lenses. The markings are important because certain jobs require specific glasses.
- Frame Markings
You will find important details about the frame. Usually, manufacturers include the identification of the manufacturer, product code number, certification mark, manufacturer license number, and a number of the Australian Standard.
- Lens Markings
Safety glasses manufacturers would also inscribe details on the lenses. The important markings are usually identification of the manufacturer and outdoor untinted. Optional details are the symbol for mechanical strength and symbol for polarisation. If you happen to be a welder, there is a marking for shade numbers.
Manufacturers inscribed the markings so that you know what type of safety glasses you are wearing. Without the markings, you might end up wearing the wrong glasses, and that should never happen.
If your eyes are always exposed to a hazardous environment, make sure you have your safety glasses with you at all times. Wearing them will save you the stress of paying for eye check-ups and hospital bills.