Face shields are a necessity in lots of professions and for a wide range of tasks in the workplace or at home. OSHA requires using face shields when workers are uncovered to flying objects, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gasses or vapors, or doubtlessly hazardous light radiation. Particular jobs requiring the use of face shields embody metal workers, some medical workers, industrial painters and staff in chemical plants. While not all employment and tasks require a face shield, they’re usually overlooked and ought to be used more often.
5 Reasons To Use A Face Shield
Flying particles: Dust and other fine materials can fly into your eyes. When using chainsaws, angle grinders or related power instruments, you need 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 required liquid splash protection required for these type of hazards.
Excessive heat: When performing furnace maintenance, participating in welding or dealing with any molten substance you must use a face shield. Some face shields, typically employed in foundries, have particular coatings to provide additional protection from extreme temperatures.
Arc Hazards: Electricians working with high voltage connections need protection from potential arc explosions, which can lead to severe burns and death! Only specifically designed face shields should be used. The Elvex ARC-Shield is an instance of a face shield specifically designed to protect in opposition to arc flash.
High-velocity impact hazards: Safety glasses do an amazing job of protecting your eyes. Nevertheless, 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 stage of protection from high-mass and high-velocity impact hazards. With that being said, it’s always advisable to wear safety eyewear underneath your face shield.
Fortunately, 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 elevated protection from lateral hazards. It’s a natural intuition to turn your face away from an object flying towards you. Nevertheless, this could expose your eyes or face to the incoming hazard. Make sure your face shield has adequate side protection, especially should you’re working round liquid splash or radiation hazards.
Goggle kinds such as 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, development and more. These face shields mix a removable goggle with a face shield. This characteristic provides the ability to replace the goggle if it becomes scratched or damaged. Plus, chances are you’ll find these face shields simpler to make use of 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 setting 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-front designs. Removable face shields enable for straightforward replacement while lift-front types will be lowered and raised shortly as the task requires.
Face shield material is available in polycarbonate, Lexan or wire mesh models. Polycarbonate and Lexan protect towards impacts and are available in clear or tinted versions. Wire mesh face shields are common with loggers and provide protection from impacts, plus they don’t fog up. Nonetheless, wire mesh face shields shouldn’t be used for work involving chemical, liquid splash, or fine mud hazards.
Think Safety Glasses AND Face Shield
Face shields do a superb job of providing additional eye and face protection from a wide range of dangers. Nevertheless, it is best 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 way of these gaps can contact your eyes, doubtlessly inflicting an injury.
Be sure to take the time to evaluate the dangers in your work area and choose the appropriate eye and face protection.