WAC 296-155-215   Eye and face protection.  (1) General.

     (a) Employees shall use eye and face protection equipment when machines or operations present potential eye or face injury from physical, chemical, or radiation agents.

     (b) Eye and face protection equipment required by this part shall meet the requirements specified in American National Standards Institute, Z87.1-1968, Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection.

     (c) Employees whose vision requires the use of corrective lenses in spectacles, when required by this regulation to wear eye protection, shall be protected by goggles or spectacles of one of the following types:

     (i) Spectacles whose protective lenses provide optical correction;

     (ii) Goggles that can be worn over corrective spectacles without disturbing the adjustment of the spectacles.

     (iii) Goggles that incorporate corrective lenses mounted behind the protective lenses.

     (d) Face and eye protection equipment shall be kept clean and in good repair. The use of this type equipment with structural or optical defects shall be prohibited.

     (e) Table C-1 shall be used as a guide in the selection of face and eye protection for the hazards and operations noted.

     (f) Protectors shall meet the following minimum requirements:

     (i) They shall provide adequate protection against the particular hazards for which they are designed.

     (ii) They shall be reasonably comfortable when worn under the designated conditions.

     (iii) They shall fit snugly and shall not unduly interfere with the movements of the wearer.

     (iv) They shall be durable.

     (v) They shall be capable of being disinfected.

     (vi) They shall be easily cleanable.

     (g) Every protector shall be distinctly marked to facilitate identification only of the manufacturer.

     (h) When limitations or precautions are indicated by the manufacturer, they shall be transmitted to the user and care taken to see that such limitations and precautions are strictly observed.



 
TABLE C-1



EYE AND FACE PROTECTION SELECTION GUIDE

1. GOGGLES, flexible fitting, regular ventilation
2. GOGGLES, flexible fitting, hooded ventilation
3. GOGGLES, cushioned fitting, rigid body
*4. SPECTACLES, metal frame, with sideshields
*5. SPECTACLES, plastic frame with sideshields
*6. SPECTACLES, metal-plastic frame, with sideshields
**7. WELDING GOGGLES, eyecup type, tinted lenses (illustrated)
7A. CHIPPING GOGGLES, eyecup type, clear safety lenses (not illustrated)
**8. WELDING GOGGLES, coverspec type tinted lenses (illustrated)
8A. CHIPPING GOGGLES, coverspec type, clear safety lenses (not illustrated)
**9. WELDING GOGGLES, coverspec type, tinted plate lens
10. FACE SHIELD (available with plastic or mesh window)
11. WELDING HELMETS

* Nonside shield spectacles are available for limited hazard use requiring only frontal protection.
** See Table C-2 in (2) of this section, Filter lens shade numbers for protection against radiant energy.



APPLICATIONS
OPERATION HAZARDS RECOMMENDED PROTECTORS: Underscored Numbers Signify Preferred Protection
ACETYLENE-

BURNING

ACETYLENE-

CUTTING

ACETYLENE-

WELDING
SPARKS, HARMFUL

RAYS, MOLTEN

METAL, FLYING

PARTICLES		 7, 8, 9
CHEMICAL

HANDLING		 SPLASH, ACID BURNS, FUMES 2, 10 (for severe exposure add 10 over 2)
CHIPPING FLYING PARTICLES 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7A, 8A
ELECTRIC

(ARC)

WELDING		 SPARKS, INTENSE

RAYS, MOLTEN

METAL		 9, 11 (11 in combination with 4, 5, 6, in tinted lenses, advisable)
FURNACE

OPERATIONS		 GLARE, HEAT,

MOLTEN METAL		 7, 8, 9 (for severe exposure add 10)
GRINDING-

LIGHT
 FLYING PARTICLES 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10
GRINDING-

HEAVY 		FLYING PARTICLES 1, 3, 7A, 8A (for severe exposure add 10)
LABORATORY CHEMICAL SPLASH,

GLASS BREAKAGE		 2 (10 when in combination with 4, 5, 6)
MACHINING FLYING PARTICLES 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10
MOLTEN

METALS		 HEAT, GLARE,

SPARKS, SPLASH		 7, 8     (10 in combination with 4, 5, 6, in tinted lenses)
SPOT WELDING FLYING PARTICLES,

SPARKS
 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10

     (2) Protection against radiant energy. (a) Selection of shade numbers for welding filter. Table C-2 shall be used as a guide for the selection of the proper shade numbers of filter lenses or plates used in welding. Shades more dense than those listed may be used to suit the individual's needs.

TABLE C-2



FILTER LENS SHADE NUMBERS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST RADIANT ENERGY
Welding Operation Shade

number
Shielded metal-arc welding 1/16-, 3/32-, 1/8-, 5/32-inch diameter electrodes . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Gas-shielded arc welding (nonferrous) 1/16-, 3/32-, 1/8-, 5/32-inch diameter electrodes . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Gas-shielded arc welding (ferrous) 1/16-, 3/32-, 1/8-, 5/32-inch diameter electrodes . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Shielded metal-arc welding 3/16-, 7/32-, 1/4-inch diameter electrodes . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
5/16-, 3/8-inch diameter electrodes . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Atomic hydrogen welding . . . . . . . . . . . . 10-14
Carbon-arc welding . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Soldering . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Torch brazing . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 or 4
Light cutting, up to 1 inch . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 or 4
Medium cutting, 1 inch to 6 inches . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 or 5
Heavy cutting, over 6 inches . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 or 6
Gas welding (light), up to 1/8-inch . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 or 5
Gas welding (medium), 1/8-inch to 1/2-inch . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 or 6
Gas welding (heavy), over 1/2-inch . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 or 9

     (b) Laser protection.

     (i) Employees whose occupation or assignment requires potentially hazardous exposure (see WAC 296-62-09005(4)) to laser radiation shall wear suitable laser safety goggles which will protect for the specific wavelength of the laser and be of optical density (O.D.) adequate for the energy involved. Table C-3 lists the maximum power or energy density for which adequate protection is afforded by glasses of optical densities from 5 through 8.

TABLE C-3



SELECTING LASER SAFETY GLASS


INTENSITY
ATTENUATION
CW maximum power density (watts/cm2)
 Optical

density

(O.D.)		 Attenuation

factor
10-2 5 105
10-1 6 106
1.0 7 107
10.0
 8 108

Output levels falling between lines in this table shall require the higher optical density.


     (ii) All protective goggles shall bear a label identifying the following data:

     (a) The laser wavelengths for which use is intended;

     (b) The optical density of those wavelengths.

     (c) The visible light transmission.



[Statutory Authority: Chapter 49.17 RCW. 94-15-096 (Order 94-07), § 296-155-215, filed 7/20/94, effective 9/20/94. Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.040 and 49.17.050. 85-01-022 (Order 84-24), § 296-155-215, filed 12/11/84; Order 74-26, § 296-155-215, filed 5/7/74, effective 6/6/74.]