Houston Eye Protection Lawyer

Failure to Provide the Right Safety Goggles

Safety goggles come in all shapes and sizes. But they are not all equal. Different eyewear is required for different jobs. Whether you are working with chemicals, flames, or toxic gasses, you must wear the appropriate eyewear for the job. Ultimately, it is your employer’s job to identify the correct safety glasses for the job. Failure to provide safety goggles to an employee who needs them to perform his job safely is negligence.

Who Regulates Safety Goggles?

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OHSA) is the standard setter for workplace safety in the United States. OSHA has adopted the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) guidelines as the standard for eye safety wear in the workplace. Unsafe working conditions should be reported to OSHA.

ANSI differentiates between the types of glasses and when they should be used. For example, goggles are classified as “high impact” and “basic.” The “drop ball” test determines if goggles are “high impact” or not. A one-inch diameter steel ball is dropped on them to see if they can withstand the force of a potential projectile striking them.

What Do Safety Goggle Lens Markings Mean?

Safety goggles and mask lenses may be marked with several markings. A ‘+’ mark indicates that the lens passed the ‘high impact’ test.  ‘V’ indicates that the lens is photochromatic–darkens in the sunlight and lightens when indoors. ‘S’ indicates that the lens has some sort of special tint. These markings are often found on the bottom right corner as you are looking at the front of the goggles. It is critical that you have the correct gear protection your eyes.

Who Determines What Safety Goggles an Employee Must Wear?

Your employer has a duty to determine which type of glasses are required for your particular job and make sure that they are used properly. Failure to provide safety goggles can result in severe injury to the eye caused by:

• safety glass failure or shattering
• failure to protect the eyes from a dangerous chemical exposure
• failure to prevent fire or heat from getting to one’s eyes
• failure to prevent excessive or dangerous bright light flashes from entering the eye

Your employer owes it to you to provide you with a safe workplace with the proper safety equipment. If you feel like you were injured as a result of your employer failing to provide the proper safety goggles or welding masks, talk to an eye protection lawyer. Please call us immediately for a free consultation at 800-298-0111.