6571 ABDO Protective Eyewear 20pp AW 24pp

1 Association of British Dispensing OpticiansEye protection: safety and Protective eyewearA reference guide for ABDO membersNew 2013 revised editionIndustrial prescription Protective eyewearLegal requirementsOn 1st January 1993, in line with aEuropean Directive, the Government ofthe UK introduced new legislation onHealth and Safety at Work. Theseeffectively replaced the old UK legislationof 10th April areas were considered within thelegislation, one of which was personalprotective equipment (PPE). Theregulations were published under theHealth and Safety at Work Act 1974 asPersonal Protective Equipment (EuropeanCommunity EC Directive) Regulations1992 SI 1992 protection was included in 1993 regulations apply to all workersin the UK, with the exception for crewsof sea-going ships (there is also somedebate about the protection affordedto military personnel).As a result of the publication of these rulesall previous legislation was completelyrevoked.

2 The regulations relating to eyeprotection are now taken as EuropeanNormals ie EN , European and Internationalstandards are: BS EN 165: Personal eye protection:Vocabulary. Now withdrawn andreplaced by BS EN ISO 4007 Protective equipment - Eyeand face protection - Vocabulary BS EN 166:2002. Personal eye protection:Specifications BS EN 167:2002. Personal eye protection:Optical test methods BS EN 168:2002. Personal eye protection:Non optical test methods BS EN 169:1992. Personal eye protection:Filters for welding and relatedtechniques: Transmittance requirementsand recommended use BS EN 170:2002. Personal eye protection:Ultraviolet filters: Transmittancerequirements and recommended use BS EN 171:2002. Personal eye protection:Infrared filters: Transmittancerequirements and recommended use BS EN 172:1995. Specification forsunglare filters used in personal eyeprotectors for industrial use BS EN 379:2003 + A1: 2009.

3 Personaleye protection. Automatic weldingfilters. welding filters with transmittancevariable by time and zone BS EN 1731:2006. Personal eyeprotection. Mesh eye and faceprotectors BS EN 14458:2004. Personal eye-equipment. Faceshields and visorsfor use with firefighters' and highperformance industrial safety helmetsused by firefighters, ambulance andemergency services. BS EN 174:2001. Ski goggles fordownhill skiing. BS 7930-1:1998. Eye protectors forracket sports. Squash Oculars. BS EN 1836:2005 + A1 and glare. Filters forgeneral use (Plano Powers).Page 2 Spectacles, goggles and shieldsAs previously stated, all protectiveeyewear in the UK must conform to theEuropean standard EN 166:2002, whichhas several differing levels of impactresistance, indicated by range of symbols used in lens typemarking are:Symbol PropertySIncreased robustness(toughened glass andthickened CR39) FLow energy impact(polycarbonate and Trivex)BMedium energy impactAHigh energy impact9 Non-adherence of moltenmetal and resistance topenetration of hot solidsKResistance to damage byfine particlesNNon-fogging propertiesNote: When medium energy impactresistance, denoted as EN 166 B, isrequired or, there is a requirement forprotection against electrical arcs, welding materials and corrosive materials,prescription spectacles should not besupplied and goggles, or visors, should beconsidered, which must carry theappropriate EN B test.

4 6mm, steel balltravelling at 120 metres per secondWhen high energy impact resistance(EN 166 A) is required visors or faceshields must be supplied. Grade A test: 6mm steel balltravelling at 190 metres per secondLow energy impact grade (EN 166 F ) isthe highest level of impact offered byprotective spectacles/glasses. Grade F test: 6mm, steel balltravelling at 45 metres per second(polycarbonate and Trivex)CR39 (with increased thickness) andtoughened glass (usually thermallytoughened in the UK) are materialsoffering increased robustness (EN 166 S). Grade S test: 22mm, 43g steel balltravelling at metres per second. This isderived from the practical test which is todrop the ball (as stipulated) from a heightof of Protective eyewearPage 4 Markings required on the lenses ofsupplied Protective spectacles Manufacturer s mark Optical class S or Impact gradeThere will probably also be a Kitemark,which in not a regulatory requirement,but a manufacturer s stamp of Kitemark:is considered the world'spremier symbol of trust, integrity andquality.

5 It indicates that manufacturerscarrying the mark have satisfied the mostrigorous quality process. The scheme isdeveloped by using BS, EN, ISO or TradeAssociation : The manufacturer s mark, whichis useful as the source is traceable in theevent problems, (plus Kitemark), 1 - F or1- a number of working environments itmay well be possible to only provideappropriate over-goggles, or side shields,to spectacle wearers, but such stepsshould only be regarded as temporarymeasures. It should be noted that thesemeasures are not suitable for prolongedor regular may be manufactured in metal(often nickel alloys - plated) and plastic(commonly cellulose acetate,polymamide or polycarbonate).Functionality and use dictates theirdesign, but a range of colours and stylesare readily available from theappropriate suppliers. Frames must also carry the appropriatemarkings, which are:Marks: Manufacturer s mark, againoffering traceability (plus Kitemark, not arequirement).

6 EN Relevant If the frame claims to meetlow energy impact (nomarkings are required forGrade S increasedrobustness).CE mark .. Products must meet legalrequirements before theycan be sold within theEuropean Community, andmust carry CE marking. CEmarking attached to aproduct is a manufacturer'sclaim that it meets all therequirements of EN 166 PROTECTOR TYPEF rames Lenses Spectacles Goggles FaceshieldsManufacturer s markRR Optical classRefractive power + Refractive power + Refractive power + -3 Refractive power - -3 Mechanical strengthIncreased robustness -S Low energy impact -FF Medium energy impact-BB High energy impact -AA Field of use Liquid droplets/Splashes 3- Large dust particles 4- Gas/Fine dust particles 5- Short circuit electric arc 8- Molten metal/Hot solids99 Resistance to fogging-N Resistance to surface -K damage (damage by fine particles) Technical informationPage 6 ReferenceNorville Group.

7 Protective Eyewear . Catalogue dated February 2012 EN 166:2002 - Personal eye protection -specificationsNot all types of eye protector arepermitted to meet all these requirements. The order of markings on oculars, whererelevant, is: Scale number (filters only) Manufacturer s mark Optical class Mechanical strength Fields of use Scratch resistance Resistance to fogging Radiant heatThe order of markings on frames, whererelevant, is: Manufacturer s mark EN166 Fields of use Mechanical strengthScale number- for oculars with filteringeffect only. Higher numbers have astronger filtering effect (eg are darkerfor welding ). Scale number consists ofa codenumber and a shadenumberseparated by a hyphen, except forwelding filters which have no codenumber. For example, an IR filter withshade number 4 has the scalenumber filters - see BS EN 169 andBS EN 379 Shade number between adenotes filter for use in gaswelding with filters - see BS EN 170 2-or 3-minus code number denotingUV filter without or with good colourrecognition respectively, plus shadenumber between filters - see BS EN 1714-minus code number for IR filters, plusshade number between - see BS EN 1725-or 6-minus code number for sunglarefilters without or with IR specificationrespectively, plus: shade numberbetween BS EN class1, 2 or 3- indicates optical quality ofthe ocular.

8 Class 1 is the for eye and face protectionMechanical strength - marked on framesand/or ocularsSymbol PropertySIncreased robustnessIncreased robustness(oculars only)FHigh speed particles, lowenergy impact (any type)BHigh speed particles, mediumenergy impact (goggles andfaceshields only)AHigh speed particles, highenergy impact (faceshieldsonly)Page 8 FramesSymbol Property3 Resistant to liquid droplets(goggles), or liquid splashes(faceshields, but not mesh)4 Resistant to coarse dustparticles5 Resistant to gas and fine dustparticles9 Resistant to molten metalsand hot solidsGResistant to radiant heat(BS EN 1731 faceshields only)OcularsSymbol Property8 Resistant to short circuitelectric arc (faceshields only)9 Resistant to molten metalsand hot solids (goggles andfaceshields only)Other ocular markingsSymbol PropertyKResistant to surface damageby fine particlesNResistant to foggingGResistant to radiant heat(BS EN 1731 faceshields only)BS EN 1731:2006.

9 Personal eye eye and face protectorsNote:The requirements and markings forradiant heat, which appear in BS EN1731:1998, have been deleted from order of markings (following EN166),where applicable, is: Manufacturer s mark BS EN 1731:2006 Mechanical strengthMechanical strength: S, F, B or A- as forBS EN 166 Fields of useFire fighters and emergency teamsBS EN 14458:2004 - Faceshields and visorsfor fire fighters, ambulance andemergency servicesSymbol Property=General (non-fire fighting) use+Fire fighters useFace guard, or eye guard Options: Scale number appropriate tofiltering performance (see EN 166)Temperature extremes of testingSymbol PropertyTResistance to medium energyimpact at extremes oftemperatureAResistance to high energyimpactATResistance to high energyimpact at extremes oftemperatureKResistance to abrasionNResistance to foggingREnhanced infrared reflection Electrical propertiesSportBS EN 174:2001 - Ski goggles for downhill skiingFiltering oculars marked according totransmittance:S#- in range S0 toS4.

10 Higher numberindicates lower transmittanceBS 7930-1:1998 - Eye protectors for racketsports - Squash OcularsThe order of other markings is: Manufacturer identification Standard number (BS 7930-1)FramesThe order of other markings is: Manufacturer identification Standard number (BS 7930-1) Model size if applicablePage 10 Industrial prescription Protective eyewearAssessment of requiredprotective eyewearHealth and Safety at Work Regulationsrequire the employer to identify andevaluate workplace risk. This is commonlyundertaken by the company safetyofficer. The reason for this is that in orderto do a comprehensive assessment,someone with access to, and familiaritywith, the working environment is effectively means that apractice-based optician is not theappropriate person to assess such risk,though they may well dispense therequired Protective net result of this is that the patient willcome into the practice with a Company order form.