The Risk of Not Wearing Laser Safety Glasses Correctly

Safety Glasses and safety goggles are integral equipment in reducing eye injuries in the workplace.  The need to protect against eye injuries with safety glasses and safety google is set out under the Health and Safety Act 1974.

If you are working with lasers, your workplace should provide you with appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure that you are operating as safety as you can be.

With the increase in recent years in the use of lasers within a medical environment, the medical industry have experienced some of the more common eye injuries associated with laser use.  Protecting staff and members of the public from laser injuries is high on the agenda of all departments, especially as with the right equipment it is possible to avoid a majority of these injuries.  The correct pair of laser safety glasses can prevent many people from a lifetime of debilitating disability.

Most Common Features of Safety Glasses

When we talk to customers about our laser safety glasses, it makes perfect sense to them; they keep your eyes safe and those of your customers and patients.  Yet many are not aware of the extended features of many of the glasses that are sold by Safety Protection Glasses.

Some of the features of safety glasses include the following:

• Impact resistant
• Many of our glasses can be worn over a pair of prescription glasses
• The safety glasses will be form-fitting
• Can protect  against hazards coming from all directions

Why Do You Need Laser Safety Glasses?

With the increase in social media these days, you do not have to look far to find out reasons why you should always wear your safety glasses when working with lasers.  Our laser safety glasses will provide you with a level of protection from any type of direct or indirect radiation from a laser.

Eye injuries from lasers can include serious eye damage and can result in blindness in a few seconds if laser safety glasses are not worn.  For this reason, we always tell our customers to wear laser safety glasses and prevent any type of eye contact with laser radiation.

PPE is not always stylish, but the risks of not wearing your laser safety glasses far outweighs any vanity.  Your workplace can also face serious consequences if health and safety processes are not followed. If your laser safety manual states that you must wear laser safety glasses at all times when operating lasers in your workplace, you should follow the processes set within it.  Failing to wear your laser safety glasses may make it impossible to see the laser beam and could result in severe injuries for you or anyone else within the area.

How To Choose The Right Laser Safety Glasses

There are specific requirements for each category of laser and you should never make an assumption about the type of laser glasses that you should use.  Before you start work, you should know that your laser safety glasses provide full protection for the type of laser you are using. If you are not sure about which type of laser safety glasses are safe to use for the laser, there are some things that you can do.

1. If your laser safety glasses have been supplied with your laser machine, you will be able to see the wavelength and optical ratings on the frame or on the lense of the glasses.
2. If your workplace has a laser safety officer you should feel confident that they will know how to determine the right type of laser safety glasses for you.
3. If you do not have a LSO in your workplace, you can refer to the instruction manual provided with your laser machine to source the wavelength and optical ratings.
4. If you are still having trouble determining which is the right type of laser glasses to purchase, you can always contact Safety Protection Glasses or another laser safety glasses provider.  We have the skills and experience to recommend a pair of laser safety glasses for your laser machines.

Do not take laser protection lightly and avoid guessing which laser safety glasses are right for you.  An eye injury is easily obtained if the wrong safety glasses or goggles are supplied or not wore at all.  Everyone working with lasers should adhere to the guidelines set out in the laser safety manual.

Laser safety glasses are made specifically for individual types of laser.  When a new laser is developed, the manufacturer will have a new lens created to protect you from the laser, particularly if the new laser is not covered by an existing lens.

Always be safe in using laser and wear your laser safety glasses when operating a laser.  For more information or if you have a question, you can contact us today.