Hearing Protection

If you work in a high noise area, preventing hearing loss is of utmost importance. Hearing protection (noise attenuating ear muffs or plugs) are required whenever employees and students are exposed to 85 dBA or greater in an eight-hour time weighted average.

Eye Protection

All eye and face protection devices must meet the requirements in the ANSI Z87 standard. When evaluating the appropriate type of eye protection, it is important to note that more than one type of protection may be appropriate. In addition, multiple layers of eye and face protection may be warranted for higher-hazard operations. During the PPE selection process, the PI should consider the following:

• Safety glasses should be upgraded to splash-resistant chemical goggles whenever pouring liquid chemicals. Chemical goggles offer a much higher degree of eye protection.
• Face shields are not to be worn alone. They must only be used as a secondary means of eye and face protection with appropriate primary eye protection worn underneath. For example, chemical goggles should be worn under a face shield while pouring acids.
• Goggles come in many varieties. The right type of goggle must be selected to ensure the appropriate level of eye protection is achieved. For example, vented goggles protect the wearer from flying chips and are appropriate for cutting operations; however, the vents make them less effective as splash protection.
• How to Choose the Right Safety Eyewear
  • A Guide for Choosing Protective Eyewear 
    • Consider work activity and work-related hazards. 
    • OSHA Eye and Face Protection Overview