Safety Glasses

ANSI Z87.1 is the American National Standard for occupational and educational eye and face protection. Safety glasses marked Z87.1 have passed high-velocity impact testing with a quarter-inch steel ball at a specific velocity. Z87.1+ indicates passing the high-impact rating, which is required for machining, grinding, and other applications involving high-velocity projectile risk.

Clear lenses are appropriate for most indoor applications where ambient light is sufficient and UV protection is not needed. Gray or green-tinted lenses reduce brightness outdoors without distorting color, making them the most common outdoor safety glass lens for general work. Yellow or amber lenses enhance contrast in low-light and hazy conditions for dawn, dusk, and overcast outdoor work environments.

Anti-fog coating is essential for safety glasses used in environments where temperature transitions cause lens fogging, such as moving between refrigerated storage and ambient temperature areas, or in high-humidity outdoor work. Chemical splash goggles with indirect ventilation prevent hazardous liquids from reaching the eyes from any angle and are required for any task involving open containers of corrosive or hazardous liquids.