EAR & EYE PROTECTION
“OFFERING THE SAME UVA AND UVB PROTECTION, GREY LENSES ARE A POPULAR CHOICE FOR OUTDOOR APPLICATIONS.”
GUIDING LIGHT
How many people really consider the lens colour during specification for safety eyewear? Supertouch has teamed up with eyewear specialist Pyramex, to talk through the basics of lens colours and the importance of getting it right.
It can be all too easy to assume that any type of eyewear is better than nothing, but this simply isn’t the case. You only need drive by a building site in the warm summer months to see numerous workers sporting sunglasses while going about their job. While the anti-glare properties of some sunglasses might be fit for purpose, they simply aren’t designed for the job-in-hand and can actually cause more harm than good in the event of an accident.
As well as features such as shatterproof lenses and impact protection, one of the least understood areas of eyewear specification is lens colour technology. In fact, according to the RNIB, UVA and UVB rays from sunlight could be a major contributing factor in a number of eye diseases including cataracts. The key therefore is to limit the eye’s exposure to UV rays through the use of the appropriate safety eyewear for the working environment, whether an individual is working indoors or outdoors.
It certainly pays to seek advice from the experts when choosing lenses, as there are so many factors to consider and options available. Taking the most popular lens colour choices, here we provide an overview of the basics. Starting with the most popular, clear lenses featuring polycarbonate block 99.9% of UVA and UVB rays.
Offering the same UVA and UVB protection, grey lenses are a popular choice for outdoor applications, with the ability to reduce glare in bright sunlight. Other lenses suitable for outdoor applications include silver mirrored, which have the added advantage of blocking blue light; a factor recently highlighted in research as being a cause of increased eye damage.
Moving to indoor working environments, clear lenses are an obvious choice particularly in industrial applications, ensuring impact protection for the wearer as well as
32
clarity, with 92% of visible light transmitted through them. In environments where there is perhaps a low levels of light, such as driving in inclement weather conditions, amber lenses are an ideal choice - helping to enhance contrast, while protecting against UVA/UVB rays.
“UVB RAYS FROM SUNLIGHT COULD
BE A MAJOR CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN A NUMBER OF EYE DISEASES INCLUDING CATARACTS.”
So what about workers that move from indoor to outdoor applications, such as those in logistics or construction roles? Indoor and Outdoor (I/O) mirror lenses are in fact the best option for these applications. Featuring clear polycarbonate and with a light gold mirror coating, I/O lenses offer complete protection against UVA and UVB rays, providing visibility in environments with varying levels of light.
Finally, Shade 3 and Shade 5 Green lenses with an infrared (IR) filter are commonly used in gas welding applications, allowing very small levels of visible light through the lens, but blocking almost all UV, IR and blue light, giving the welder complete protection from the process.
Needless to say, while there may be an element of personal choice in safety eyewear specification, lens colours can and do make a difference in the working environment, helping to protect the users from risk. The advice is simple - consider the suitability of eyewear in each and every application and when in doubt, seek advice from the experts who will be only too happy to help.
www.supertouch.com www.tomorrowshs.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
