Even after providing safety equipment, no one can guarantee complete workplace safety, whether it is due to chemical accidents or electrocutions as accidents of various types occur.
The majority of eye hazards occur in an unpredictable environment due to factors such as heat, light, mechanical injuries, flying dust, chemical splashes etc. Workers may be unaware of the contaminated air at the workplace which can cause eye irritation. The workers on a daily basis may be exposed to polluted air for a longer period of time, and the eye reaction suddenly impairs their eye vision. In such circumstances, safety glasses should be used for proper eye protection and ensure the complete safety of staff working in hazardous environment.
Lab Safety glasses were created by Garrett Morgan in 1914 and in 1940 it was mandatory for workers to wear safety goggles in the workplace to protect the eyes from physical damage or infections caused by various elements in the environment. Lab safety goggles or important part of personal protective equipment (PPE) kit and also called as PPE goggles. This was done to follow complete occupational safety and health of the staff.
FOLLOWING ARE THE TYPES OF SAFETY GOGGLES :
Lab goggles comes in a variety of shapes and styles also depending upon the occupational work and uses. Many glasses also comes with anti-scratch, anti-UV, anti-static, and anti-fog coatings.
When it comes to eye protection, comfort and fit are critical factors to consider. When the safety glasses are comfortable, lab workers are more likely to wear it. A person’s facial characteristics are more likely to interfere with safety goggles fitting, and the PPE goggles must have accurate fit to provide adequate eye protection. Poorly fitting lab glasses will not provide complete protection for which it was intended. Eye protection in a variety of brands and styles may be required for one to select from.
Lab safety goggles- These are chemically resistant eyewear protection. With its full cover facility it protects eyes from harmful acid and chemical splashes. It is made up of both hard and soft components for longer usage and typically has broad panoramic vision field.
Welding goggles- These help protect one from intense UV and IR rays that are invisible during the welding process and can cause serious vision problems. Safety glasses provide high level of eye protection while performing task without any risk.
UV rays safety goggles- These goggles are curated with a special form of coating that blocks the harmful UV rays from coming in contact with the eye retina.
Anti-fog goggles- These glasses have specialised coating to eradicate fogging problem on glasses thus providing clear vision to workers in extremely foggy conditions. It has unique ventilation design and fog lens.
Non- Vented goggles- These type of goggles provide eye protection from hazardous liquids like, fumes, mist and vapours and provide complete protection against hazardous materials.
Vented goggles- These are not suitable for laboratory work as they have ventilation holes through which liquids can enter and can come in contact with eyes. It provides more eye protection from the harmful UV rays and avoids long term eye problems such as eye cancer, cataract etc. any vision problems.
USES OF SCIENCE SAFETY GLASSES IN CHEMISTRY LAB:
When hazardous material or substance be it in liquid or gaseous form comes in contact with eyes then serious and irreversible damage can occur. A person can also suffer from partial or full vision impairment.
Science safety goggles are the primary eye safety devices especially designed to protect the eyes from any chemical splashes, as well as irritating mists, vapours, and harmful fumes. They form a protective seal around the eyes, preventing any objects or harmful liquids from entering through the goggles' openings.
The PPE goggles allows the person to careful handle the harmful chemicals and substances without the fear of damaging eye. They work as an crucial line of defence against harmful infections when experimenting with infected materials.
Also in the pandemic like situations PPE safety goggles play a vital role for lab technicians in the laboratory to experiment with the harmful virus and also for the healthcare workers to handle patients infected with harmful virus and help cure them without risking themselves.
Also Read: Lab Coat : Different Types, Uses & its Importance
