When To Wear A Face Shield

Face shields are a necessity in many professions and for a variety of tasks within the workplace or at home. OSHA requires using face shields when workers are uncovered to flying objects, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gasses or vapors, or probably hazardous light radiation. Particular jobs requiring the usage of face shields embrace metal workers, some medical staff, industrial painters and staff in chemical plants. While not all employment and tasks require a face shield, they're often missed and should be used more often.

5 Reasons To Use A Face Shield
Flying particles: Dust and other fine materials can fly into your eyes. When using chainsaws, angle grinders or comparable power instruments, it is best to always use a face shield.
Splash hazards: When handling acids, corrosives, chemical adherents or strippers and or with body fluids you must wear face shields. Typical safety eyewear doesn’t provide the required liquid splash protection required for these type of hazards.
Excessive heat: When performing furnace upkeep, participating in welding or dealing with any molten substance it's best to use a face shield. Some face shields, typically employed in foundries, have special coatings to provide further protection from excessive temperatures.
Arc Hazards: Electricians working with high voltage connections want protection from potential arc explosions, which can lead to extreme burns and loss of life! Only specially designed face shields must be used. The Elvex ARC-Shield is an example of a face shield specifically designed to protect towards arc flash.
High-velocity impact hazards: Safety glasses do an ideal job of protecting your eyes. Nevertheless, they can't protect your face. Plus, safety glasses could fail if hit by an object with enough mass or velocity. Face shields provide an extra level of protection from high-mass and high-velocity impact hazards. With that being said, it’s always advisable to wear safety eyewear underneath your face shield.

Fortunately, safety glasses stopped this broken angle-grinder disk because a face shield ought to have been worn.

5 Face Shield Options To Consider
Side protection on face shields provides increased protection from lateral hazards. It’s a natural intuition to turn your face away from an object flying towards you. Nonetheless, this might expose your eyes or face to the incoming hazard. Be certain your face shield has adequate side protection, especially if you’re working round liquid splash or radiation hazards.
Goggle types such because the Jackson MonoShield with Goggles or Bolle Atom Shield provide one other option for face protection when working in clean rooms, metal processing, foundries, mining, development and more. These face shields mix a removable goggle with a face shield. This function provides the ability to exchange the goggle if it turns into scratched or damaged. Plus, chances are you'll find these face shields simpler to make use of in lab environments, because the face shield fits closer to your face.
Headgear – Face shields are typically worn with headgear or mounted to a traditional hard hat. Consider the type of setting you’ll be working in and select the appropriate headgear system. Most face shield manufacturers provide adapters for mounting their products on hard hats.
Face shields are available in removable or lift-front designs. Removable face shields allow for simple replacement while lift-front styles can be lowered and raised quickly as the task requires.
Face shield material comes in polycarbonate, Lexan or wire mesh models. Polycarbonate and Lexan protect against impacts and are available in clear or tinted versions. Wire mesh face shields are standard with loggers and provide protection from impacts, plus they don’t fog up. Nevertheless, wire mesh face shields shouldn't be used for work involving chemical, liquid splash, or fine mud hazards.
Think Safety Glasses AND Face Shield
Face shields do an excellent job of providing further eye and face protection from a variety of dangers. However, you should always wear safety glasses under your face shield because the bottom and sides of face shields typically have gaps. Liquid or particles passing via these gaps can contact your eyes, potentially causing an injury.

Be sure you take the time to judge the hazards in your work space and select the appropriate eye and face protection.