Face shields are a necessity in lots of professions and for quite a lot of tasks in the workplace or at home. OSHA requires using face shields when workers are uncovered to flying objects, molten metal, liquid chemical compounds, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gasses or vapors, or potentially hazardous light radiation. Specific jobs requiring the usage of face shields include metal workers, some medical employees, industrial painters and employees in chemical plants. While not all employment and tasks require a face shield, they are often ignored and must be used more often.
5 Reasons To Use A Face Shield
Flying particles: Dust and other fine supplies can fly into your eyes. When utilizing chainsaws, angle grinders or related power instruments, you must always use a face shield.
Splash hazards: When handling acids, corrosives, chemical adherents or strippers and or with body fluids you must wear face shields. Typical safety eyewear doesn’t provide the necessary liquid splash protection required for these type of hazards.
Excessive heat: When performing furnace upkeep, partaking in welding or handling any molten substance you should use a face shield. Some face shields, typically employed in foundries, have special coatings to provide extra 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 dying! Only specially designed face shields needs to be used. The Elvex ARC-Shield is an example of a face shield specifically designed to protect against arc flash.
High-velocity impact hazards: Safety glasses do an awesome job of protecting your eyes. However, they cannot protect your face. Plus, safety glasses may fail if hit by an object with sufficient mass or velocity. Face shields provide an additional degree of protection from high-mass and high-velocity impact hazards. With that being said, it’s always beneficial to wear safety eyewear underneath your face shield.
Luckily, safety glasses stopped this damaged 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. However, this could expose your eyes or face to the incoming hazard. Ensure that your face shield has adequate side protection, particularly when you’re working round 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, building and more. These face shields mix a removable goggle with a face shield. This characteristic provides the ability to exchange the goggle if it turns into 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 atmosphere you’ll be working in and choose 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 permit for straightforward replacement while lift-entrance types can be lowered and raised rapidly because the task requires.
Face shield material comes in polycarbonate, Lexan or wire mesh models. Polycarbonate and Lexan protect in opposition to impacts and are available in clear or tinted versions. Wire mesh face shields are popular 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 dust hazards.
Think Safety Glasses AND Face Shield
Face shields do an excellent job of providing additional eye and face protection from a variety of dangers. Nevertheless, 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 by means of these gaps can contact your eyes, probably causing an injury.
Be sure to take the time to evaluate the dangers in your work space and choose the appropriate eye and face protection.