Face shields are a necessity in lots of professions and for a wide range of tasks in the workplace or at home. OSHA requires the use of face shields when workers are exposed to flying objects, molten metal, liquid chemical compounds, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gasses or vapors, or doubtlessly hazardous light radiation. Particular jobs requiring using face shields embrace metal workers, some medical staff, industrial painters and employees in chemical plants. While not all employment and tasks require a face shield, they’re usually ignored and should be used more often.
5 Reasons To Use A Face Shield
Flying debris: Mud and other fine materials can fly into your eyes. When utilizing chainsaws, angle grinders or related power instruments, it is best to always use a face shield.
Splash hazards: When handling acids, corrosives, chemical adherents or strippers and or with body fluids it’s best to wear face shields. Typical safety eyewear doesn’t provide the necessary liquid splash protection required for these type of hazards.
Extreme heat: When performing furnace upkeep, participating in welding or dealing with any molten substance it’s best to use a face shield. Some face shields, typically employed in foundries, have particular coatings to provide further protection from extreme temperatures.
Arc Hazards: Electricians working with high voltage connections need protection from potential arc explosions, which can lead to extreme burns and loss of life! Only specially designed face shields needs to be used. The Elvex ARC-Shield is an example of a face shield specifically designed to protect towards arc flash.
High-velocity impact hazards: Safety glasses do an ideal job of protecting your eyes. Nevertheless, they can not protect your face. Plus, safety glasses could fail if hit by an object with enough mass or velocity. Face shields provide an additional level of protection from high-mass and high-velocity impact hazards. With that being said, it’s always recommended to wear safety eyewear underneath your face shield.
Fortunately, safety glasses stopped this broken angle-grinder disk because a face shield should have been worn.
5 Face Shield Options To Consider
Side protection on face shields provides increased protection from lateral hazards. It’s a natural intuition to turn your face away from an object flying towards you. Nevertheless, this might expose your eyes or face to the incoming hazard. Make sure your face shield has adequate side protection, especially in the event you’re working around liquid splash or radiation hazards.
Goggle types such because the Jackson MonoShield with Goggles or Bolle Atom Shield provide one other option for face protection when working in clean rooms, metal processing, foundries, mining, construction and more. These face shields mix a removable goggle with a face shield. This characteristic provides the ability to interchange the goggle if it becomes scratched or damaged. Plus, chances are you’ll find these face shields easier to use in lab environments, because the face shield fits closer to your face.
Headgear – Face shields are typically worn with headgear or mounted to a traditional hard hat. Consider the type of environment you’ll be working in and select the appropriate headgear system. Most face shield manufacturers provide adapters for mounting their products on hard hats.
Face shields are available in removable or lift-entrance designs. Removable face shields enable for easy replacement while lift-entrance styles could be lowered and raised shortly because the task requires.
Face shield materials is available in polycarbonate, Lexan or wire mesh models. Polycarbonate and Lexan protect against impacts and are available in clear or tinted versions. Wire mesh face shields are well-liked with loggers and provide protection from impacts, plus they don’t fog up. However, wire mesh face shields should not be used for work involving chemical, liquid splash, or fine mud hazards.
Think Safety Glasses AND Face Shield
Face shields do an excellent job of providing additional eye and face protection from a wide range of dangers. However, you need to always wear safety glasses under your face shield because the underside and sides of face shields typically have gaps. Liquid or debris passing through these gaps can contact your eyes, potentially inflicting an injury.
Be sure you take the time to guage the dangers in your work area and choose the appropriate eye and face protection.