Now that you have determined the correct safety frames for the job, what’s next? Finding a reputable supplier of safety glasses that meets safety standards.
Did you know that some providers import safety glasses from overseas to save money? This means that the frames may not provide the adequate protection that they claim, ultimately putting your employees at risk!
So, what should you do when looking for safety glasses?
Follow certain regulatory safety standards
You need to make sure that the safety glasses you buy meet ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 and CSA Z94.3 standards. These standards prescribe the design, performance specifications and marking criteria for safety eye and face protection products. They are also incorporated into OSHA regulations for personal protective equipment (PPE). ANSI and CSA standards have proven to help keep people safe, increase efficiency, reduce risk, and offer many other important benefits to the companies that use them.
Be wary of middlemen
Choose reputable suppliers. Keep in mind that intermediaries, or middlemen may source lenses from dubious suppliers that are often just ‘sales agents’. When a supplier claims that their frames and lenses are “safe”, it doesn’t necessarily mean they provide adequate protection. Poor quality frames from knock-off manufacturers who use substandard equipment and materials are more common in the safety glasses industry than you think! As an employer, you need to be cautious about whom you entrust with the safety of your employees’ eyes.
Solution:
ISO certified products ensures consumers will helps to get their products are safe, reliable and of good quality. Unfortunately, many safety glasses providers are not ISO registered. Without a proper quality management system in place, the company cannot prove that they adhere to the claims they make. Aim to work with an opthalmic lab that is ISO 13485 registered, the regulatory requirements for medical device safety. In addition, when choosing safety frames, select reputable manufacturers like ArmouRX, Uvex, OnGuard and Wiley X.
Instead of working with a middleman to “save costs”, seek a trusted ophthalmic lab that does everything in house. This ensures that the lenses are manufactured, coated, mounted, and inspected in a manner that meets ANSI Z87.1 and CSA Z94.3 standards. In most cases, you will save more money by going direct. Middlemen upsell and overcharge you for lower quality imported frames.
Tune in next week for another #SafetyTuesdayTip
A safety eyewear program is not expensive or difficult to implement.
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