Personal protective equipment for the eyes and face is designed to prevent or lessen the severity of injuries to workers. The employer must assess the workplace and determine if hazards that require the use of eye and/or face protection are present or are likely to be present before assigning a certain type of personal protective equipment to workers.
A hazard assessment should determine the risk of exposure to eye and face hazards, including those which may be encountered in an emergency. Employers should be aware of the possibility of multiple and simultaneous hazard exposures and be prepared to protect against the highest level of each hazard.
Hazards can fall into five categories:
Impact (Flying objects such as large chips, fragments, particles, sand, and dirt. Produced by chipping, grinding, machining, masonry work, wood working, sawing, drilling, chiseling, powered fastening, riveting, and sanding.)
Heat (Anything emitting extreme heat. Produced by furnace operations, pouring, casting, hot dipping, and welding.)
Chemicals (Splash, fumes, vapors, and irritating mists. Produced by acid and chemical handling, degreasing, plating, and...