SeaMac
Senior Member
Yes, we all hate to wear them but I can assure you, you would hate even more damaging or losing an eye. When I began in construction back in '76 - wow, am I really getting old or what - no one ever wore them and I don't think OSHA even required them. Today however, it's a totally different story and OSHA requires them for most construction occupations if not all. They have come a long way too.
Here are some thoughts about safety glasses, they are not safety glasses unless they have this ANSI Z87.1-2003(Z87+1) printed or stamped on an ear stem. If they don't you have zero protection from impact. In the past we'd wear a pair that were tinted for working outdoors, when we needed to work indoors we couldn't see - no, it doesn't make you look cool to wear sunglasses at night or indoors, it makes you look like an idiot - so what did we do, we took them off. Today, we don't have to do that anymore because they now make photochromic lenses that will lighten or darken depending on the lighting. In the old days safety glasses were hideous looking, cumbersome, never fit well and heavy. Again, today that's a non-issue, you can get any style you wish so you can still be "joe cool" and have eye protection and they are very light and comfortable to boot.
The most important factor I would say since wearing cheap employer provided safety glasses has proven detrimental to my vision is optical clarity. Those two words OPTICAL CLARITY are probably the most significant factor in safety glasses. The cheap ones have none and WILL ruin your eyes, the expensive ones are a little better but still aren't on par with the really expensive ones. A pair with perfect optical clarity can set you back upwards of $200 but the difference it makes at the end of the day is priceless. I'm not going to get into marketing for the manufacturers here but for my money Oakley makes the best. The way to check for optical clarity is to put a pair on then raise them up above your eyes, there should be absolutely zero difference in what you see without them, absolutely zero! If they make things look out of focus, further away or nearer DON'T wear them, they're garbage.
Sadly, most employers will only do the minimum that OSHA requires because in all honesty they really don't care. So it is now up to us to protect our eyes and since they are ours we should protect them very well. I look at like this, most folks in construction will spend a small fortune on their boots, they'll even brag to their buddies how expensive, comfortable and wonderful they are. Ever hear anyone brag about safety glasses? Let me ask you this, what would be easier to get along without, a foot or an eye? Enough said!
Here are some thoughts about safety glasses, they are not safety glasses unless they have this ANSI Z87.1-2003(Z87+1) printed or stamped on an ear stem. If they don't you have zero protection from impact. In the past we'd wear a pair that were tinted for working outdoors, when we needed to work indoors we couldn't see - no, it doesn't make you look cool to wear sunglasses at night or indoors, it makes you look like an idiot - so what did we do, we took them off. Today, we don't have to do that anymore because they now make photochromic lenses that will lighten or darken depending on the lighting. In the old days safety glasses were hideous looking, cumbersome, never fit well and heavy. Again, today that's a non-issue, you can get any style you wish so you can still be "joe cool" and have eye protection and they are very light and comfortable to boot.
The most important factor I would say since wearing cheap employer provided safety glasses has proven detrimental to my vision is optical clarity. Those two words OPTICAL CLARITY are probably the most significant factor in safety glasses. The cheap ones have none and WILL ruin your eyes, the expensive ones are a little better but still aren't on par with the really expensive ones. A pair with perfect optical clarity can set you back upwards of $200 but the difference it makes at the end of the day is priceless. I'm not going to get into marketing for the manufacturers here but for my money Oakley makes the best. The way to check for optical clarity is to put a pair on then raise them up above your eyes, there should be absolutely zero difference in what you see without them, absolutely zero! If they make things look out of focus, further away or nearer DON'T wear them, they're garbage.
Sadly, most employers will only do the minimum that OSHA requires because in all honesty they really don't care. So it is now up to us to protect our eyes and since they are ours we should protect them very well. I look at like this, most folks in construction will spend a small fortune on their boots, they'll even brag to their buddies how expensive, comfortable and wonderful they are. Ever hear anyone brag about safety glasses? Let me ask you this, what would be easier to get along without, a foot or an eye? Enough said!