According to OSHA’s website, thousands of people are blinded each year from work-related eye injuries that could have been prevented with the proper selection and use of eye and face protection. Eye injuries alone cost more than $300 million per year in lost production time, medical expenses and workers’ compensation.
The good news is the International Safety Equipment Association’s most recently promulgated guidelines, ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2015 American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection (ANSI Z87.1-2015) have made the workplace much safer for many employees.
Meeting the provisions set forth by Z87.1 is both an imperative and a starting point for Bollé Safety. In addition to possessing the technical know-how and manufacturing expertise to produce products that meet or exceed the guidelines, the company has a commitment to innovation driving it to create practical improvements beyond the scope of the standards.
As obvious as the benefits of wearing effective eye protection may seem, too often workers provided with perfectly functional safety glasses fail to wear them at all appropriate times. A Bureau of Labor study found 60 percent of injured workers were not wearing eye protection at the time of an accident.
Therefore, the prudent course of action is to examine every possible reason workers do not wear protective eyewear and then thoroughly and comprehensively address possible issues.
Lost in a fog
Fogging is a significant reason workers fail to wear protective eyewear. In fact, it is often stated as the No. 1 vision-related reason for not wearing safety glasses. Fortunately, there are several methods for minimizing the buildup of moisture that causes fogging.
A good place to start is with eyewear carefully designed to improve airflow and promote ventilation. Many products on the market still rely on antiquated shapes with little or no venting.
By purchasing premium safety eyewear made by a well-known manufacturer with the expertise and resources to incorporate the most up-to-date designs, you can provide workers with glasses that won’t fog.
While aftermarket anti-fog coatings can be purchased, several premium safety eyewear manufacturers, including Bollé Safety, apply permanent anti-fog coatings during manufacturing. Bollé Safety uses a proprietary technology, which is used on both sides of all its lenses.
Comfort is king
“They don’t fit well.” “They’re too heavy.” “They pinch my nose/temples.” The chorus of comfort-related complaints about safety glasses is common, numerous and persistent. Certainly, glasses that cause the wearer discomfort aren’t likely to remain in place for more than a few minutes, let alone hours on end.
Here again, the best advice is to look for premium brands, like Bollé Safety, with recognized design capabilities and manufacturing processes that utilize the latest and best materials.
The bottom line is this: The first and most important consideration when purchasing protective eyewear is that the product chosen meets the ANSI Z87.1-2015 standards. That, however, should not be where the decision ends. Premium safety glasses offer real-world advantages that far exceed any difference in price, and that makes them your best value.
For more information, visit www.Bollesafety-usa.com or call (800) 262-7306. •
