Toolbox Talk: Eye and Face Protection

Key points

1. Look for Z87. Safety eyewear should be marked Z87 or Z87+. Regular prescription glasses are not safety glasses unless they carry the mark.
2. Match the hazard. Safety glasses with side protection for flying particles, goggles for dust and chemical splashes, and a face shield over glasses or goggles for grinding or pouring chemicals.
3. A face shield is not enough alone. Always wear safety glasses or goggles under a face shield.
4. Keep them clean and in good shape. Replace eyewear that is scratched, cracked or loose.
5. Know the eyewash. If a chemical gets in your eyes, flush them at the eyewash for at least 15 minutes and get medical help.

Ask the crew

• Which jobs here need goggles or a face shield, not just glasses?
• Where is the nearest eyewash, and can you get to it in a few seconds?
• What makes people take their eye protection off?

Picture this

A mechanic pushes his safety glasses up onto his head because they are fogging. Seconds later, a wire wheel throws a bristle into his eye. Anti-fog lenses or a better-fitting pair would have kept them on.