The adage ‘prevention is better than cure’ is true for lab experts as well who are often engaged in an environment that puts their eye health at risk. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, roughly a thousand eye injuries occur every day at the workplace, which includes science labs as well. This could be reduced by almost ninety percent just by wearing protective eyewear, experts argue. Hence, the simplest step towards taking care of yourself is wearing high quality PPE, which could be as simple as wearing any high quality prescription safety glasses.
Key Features of Eye Protection PPE
One must be cognizant of the prevailing hazards at labs. Some common hazards involve toxic chemicals, fumes, vapors & other pathogens which may cause serious damage. To counter this, eye protection is the most tried & tested method for keeping your eyes safe. In the same vein, there are certain important features that every PPE must have in order to provide a sufficient level of safety assurance.
- Wraparound shape
- Lens Add Ons such as anti-fog or anti-scratch coating
- Removable side shields
- Brow guard
- Prescription ready
For most people, renowned PPE eyewear as 3M Safety Goggles is a good choice that covers most aforementioned aspects. Even if you're someone who wears prescription glasses & doesn’t’ want to give up on them, feel free to get an OTG eyewear that comes with anti-fog coating. On the other hand, if you’re more of the glasses type, here’s one recommended gear that you might prefer wearing in the lab.
3M ZT200
3M ZT200 comes with cutting edge protective features that simply don’t fail. 3m glasses are made out of high quality materials that are well combined together to form the perfect PPE. Right off the bat, you get a wraparound shape that lets you see better & feel more comfortable by way of the curved frame shape that spreads nicely on the surrounding areas of your eyes.
As far as lens add ons are concerned, feel free to add anti-fog or anti scratch coatings that help in improving your optical experience & enhance the eyewear's shelf life. Moreover, the ANSI Z87.1 rating ensures shatterproof durability of lenses against any accidents involving blunt force trauma.
Other PPE Gear
- Gloves
They help prevent contact with any toxic liquids that you may touch inadvertently otherwise. Attention should be paid to its thickness, flexibility & resistance to hazards.
- Dress
Proper lab attire may involve wearing helmets, lab coats & proper shoes that provide ample protection. A hazmat dress is an apt choice here. They help in providing protection against loose splashes of toxic chemicals inside the lab premises. Your attire should be easily removable as it is to put on in case of any contamination. One must ensure that the cuffs fit snugly around ankles & wrists to prevent any pathogens or toxic chemicals from coming in contact with your skin. Wearing safety goggles won’t do the job alone. On the whole, choosing your PPE carefully is imperative with regards to healthy & safety standards for lab professionals.
