Face shields are a necessity in lots of professions and for a variety of tasks within the workplace or at home. OSHA requires using face shields when workers are exposed to flying objects, molten metal, liquid chemical substances, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gasses or vapors, or probably hazardous light radiation. Particular jobs requiring the use 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 usually missed and ought to be used more often.
5 Reasons To Use A Face Shield
Flying particles: Mud and other fine materials can fly into your eyes. When using chainsaws, angle grinders or related power tools, you need to always use a face shield.
Splash hazards: When handling acids, corrosives, chemical adherents or strippers and or with body fluids you should wear face shields. Typical safety eyewear doesn’t provide the mandatory liquid splash protection required for these type of hazards.
Extreme 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 additional protection from excessive temperatures.
Arc Hazards: Electricians working with high voltage connections want protection from potential arc explosions, which can lead to severe burns and dying! Only specially designed face shields needs to be used. The Elvex ARC-Shield is an instance of a face shield specifically designed to protect against 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 might fail if hit by an object with enough 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 really useful to wear safety eyewear underneath your face shield.
Luckily, safety glasses stopped this damaged angle-grinder disk because a face shield ought to 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 show 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, particularly if you’re working around liquid splash or radiation hazards.
Goggle types 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 function provides the ability to interchange the goggle if it turns into scratched or damaged. Plus, it’s possible you’ll discover 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 surroundings 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 allow for easy replacement while lift-front kinds will be lowered and raised rapidly because 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 popular 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 wonderful job of providing extra 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 way of these gaps can contact your eyes, doubtlessly inflicting an injury.
Make sure you take the time to judge the hazards in your work space and select the appropriate eye and face protection.