Wear eye protection
Put on safety glasses, goggles or a face shield for work, chores and hobbies that throw debris, chemicals or sparks.
- How often
- As needed
- Time
- During risky tasks
- Recommended for
- 15 factors
How to do it
- Match the protection to the hazard. Safety glasses suit flying particles, goggles suit chemical splashes and dust, and a face shield over glasses suits grinding or heavy splashes.
- Wear them for yard work, power tools, cleaning with strong chemicals and racquet or ball sports.
- Welding needs a welding helmet or goggles with the correct shade lens for the process. Ordinary safety glasses do not block arc light.
- For bright sun, snow or water, wear sunglasses labeled to block 99 to 100% of UVA and UVB.
- Keep a pair where the work happens, in the garage, workshop or truck.
- Replace scratched or cracked eyewear.
Why it helps
Thousands of people are blinded each year from work-related eye injuries that could have been prevented with the right eye and face protection. Regular glasses are not safety glasses and can shatter on impact.
Be careful
If a chemical gets in your eye, flush it right away with plenty of clean water and get emergency care. Find out what the chemical was, because some cause more damage than others.
Recommended for
Auto mechanic
Under hoods and cars, bent over engines, hands in grease and solvent.
hobbyBasketball
Jumps, hard landings and sudden cuts, game after game.
occupationCarpenter
Hammering, sawing, lifting and kneeling, with sharp tools all day.
occupationConstruction worker
Heavy loads, heights, noise, dust and weather, every day.
hobbyDIY home improvement
Ladders, power tools, heavy lifting and dust from old materials.
occupationDental hygienist
Leaning over patients, fine instruments in hand, eyes inches from teeth.
occupationFarmer
Dawn-to-dusk physical work outdoors, around machines and animals.
placeFlorida
Heat and humidity most of the year, high sun, and mold after storms.
hobbyGardening
Kneeling, digging, lifting and pulling weeds for hours in the sun.
occupationJanitor
Mopping, lifting and scrubbing, often on night shifts, with strong chemicals.
occupationLandscaper
Mowing, digging and lifting outdoors in every kind of weather.
placeLouisiana
Gulf humidity, a long mosquito season and mold after floods.
occupationPlumber
Under sinks, in trenches, on your knees, twisting into tight spaces.
occupationWelder
Fumes, sparks, UV light and awkward positions.
hobbyWoodworking
Spinning blades, loud machines and fine dust in the air.