What is the purpose of side shields on safety glasses?

Side shields are the added attachments on the sides of your safety glasses to better protect the eyes. Side shields added to safety glasses prevent flying foreign bodies (including liquid, wood, metal shavings and other objects) from getting in the eyes.

Do safety glasses have to have side shields?

In a Nutshell. If your safety glasses have a high-base curve with a wraparound design, you do not need side shields. If your safety glasses have a low-base curve and look like eyeglasses, you do need to attach side shields to make them safety-certified.

What is side shield?

Side shields are items of personal protective equipment (PPE) that are designed to reduce the chances of unwanted flying debris getting to the eyes through the gaps on the outermost sides of safety glasses.

Can I turn my regular glasses into safety glasses?

Unless prescription glasses have been specially designed to be safety glasses, they cannot be used as protective eye gear. To be considered safety glasses, they must meet a higher standard of compliance regarding impact resistance than regular prescription eyeglasses.

How do you take off a permanent side shield?

Fist open the right temple and put pressure gently and bend the side shield from top to the bottom with wiggling motion. If still, side shield is not come off, slightly down the temple and take away from the frame with wiggling and bending option.

Are prescription glasses with side shields OSHA approved?

Wearing prescription dress glasses with side shields in the workplace does not comply with OSHA requirements. Lenses and frames must meet specific requirements to qualify as compliant OSHA safety eyewear.

Do face shields replace safety glasses?

Impact rated face shields can be worn or face shields must be worn over primary eye protection (safety glasses or goggles) when there is a potential exposure to flying fragments or objects, hot sparks from furnace operations, potential splash from molten metal, or extreme temperatures.

Are side shields required by OSHA?

However, employers can require their employees to have protection above and beyond the OSHA standard(s). Therefore, as a general policy your employer can require its employees to have permanent side shields for their safety glasses.

What are your options if you wear prescription glasses and need to wear safety glasses?

You have a couple options: Contact lenses, Fit-overs, or goggle inserts. If you can wear them, contact lenses are your best option.

How do you remove the side shields from on guard safety glasses?

Remove snap-on or slide-on shields by grasping the front of the frame firmly with temples open. Gently but with pressure slide the safety shield down the temple to the end. For snap-on shields, wiggle the top and bottom of the shield as you slide it down the temple until it loosens.