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What Do the ANSI Standards Really Mean?
An important obligation of a responsible
science teacher is to provide
students with safe, appropriate
eye protection. As you compare
the wide array of goggles and
safety glasses, you often see
the phrase "Meets ANSI Z87.1 Standards."
In the Flinn Scientific Catalog/Reference
Manual we list several eyewear
styles which all meet the ANSI
standard. Obviously, there must
be more to choosing safe eyewear
than merely picking any style
which meets this standard. To
choose the most suitable eyewear
for yourself and your students
it is helpful to understand ANSI
and its relationship to regulations
concerning school laboratories.
What is ANSI Z87.1?
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a non-profit association which publishes standards covering a broad range of equipment and industries. The complete title of the current ANSI document pertaining to eyewear is American National Standard Practice for Occupational and Face Protection, ANSI Z87.1—1989. This document includes standards for several different styles of safety eyewear ranging from eyeglass-type spectacles to heavy-duty welding helmets. Each style has its own standards.
ANSI's objective is to provide basic performance requirements for eye and face protection. For example, the tests listed below are two of the standards for removable goggle lenses:
- lenses shall resist impact from a 25.4 mm diameter
steel ball dropped from 127 cm.
- lenses shall resist penetration from a projectile
weighing 44.2 g dropped from 127 cm.
For clarification of the relevance of these standards to your choice of laboratory eyewear it is helpful to understand more about ANSI and Z87.1.
- ANSI is not a federal agency. As an independent
association it is not involved in establishing or
enforcing the OSHA Laboratory Standard.
- ANSI does not test, inspect or approve eyewear.
The eye protection manufacturer can choose to contract
an independent testing facility to conduct tests to
determine if their products meet ANSI standards.
- There are important factors that are difficult to
measure and are not covered in Z87.1 which must not
be ignored when choosing eyewear. Among these are
durability, comfort, anti-fog performance and chemical
splash protection.
Keep in mind that not all eyewear is created equally. There are a lot of cheaply made goggles on the market that will not survive even one semester. How safe is a goggle if it meets ANSI standards, but it is left in a desk drawer, unworn, because it is broken or uncomfortable?
- Eyewear should fit comfortably and securely. Try
different styles and sizes to find the right fit.
- Chemical splash goggles should have a soft, pliable
flange which seals around the eyes. The hard plastic
edge on models lacking a flange becomes extremely
uncomfortable.
- The availability of replacement parts (headbands,
lenses, vent covers) is a real cost-saving advantage.
- Anti-fog performance is affected by temperature
and humidity. Experiment with different eyewear styles
and features (vents and fog-free lenses) to find the
best eyewear for your application.
Chemical Splash Protection
Just because eyewear meets Z87.1 standards does not necessarily mean it provides adequate protection from the dangers of splashed chemicals. Eyewear that does not provide a complete, snug seal around the eyes may be fine for some activities but not when using hazardous chemicals. When vent openings are provided on splash goggles the vents should be indirect, with covers and/or baffles preventing straight-line passage of liquids into the goggle.
The Choice Is Up To You
As a responsible science teacher, you must select eyewear which provides you and your students the most suitable protection from the hazards involved in your laboratory activities. The following regulations address the role of the teacher's judgment in selecting suitable eye protection:
ANSI Z87.1 Section 7.3(3) page 15
The teacher must "make a judgement in selection of the appropriate protective equipment so that the protection is greater than the estimated hazards".
Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA 1910.1450 (Laboratory Standard) Section D(6)
School laboratories should
include "protective apparel compatible
with the required degree of protection
for substances being handled."
Basic Recommendations
As you ponder which type of protective eyewear to purchase, or whether eye protection
is needed at all, keep the following suggestions in mind:
- Will you be using heat, glassware or chemicals in the lab? If so, it is
a good basic policy to use protective eyewear.
- Chemical splash goggles designed to provide a complete, snug seal around
the eyes should be worn whenever hazardous chemicals are used.
- The educational laboratory is a unique environment where each student is
often surrounded by other students conducting experiments. Hazards could come
from any direction. Protective eyewear should provide sufficient angular coverage.
- Contact lenses should not be worn in the laboratory. If wearing contacts
is unavoidable, use non-vented chemical splash goggles.
- Face shields which provide added splash protection coverage should not be
worn alone. Always wear the appropriate goggle or safety glasses underneath
a face shield.
Conclusion
While ANSI has established many
standards for a variety of protective
eyewear it does not provide specific
standards for several factors
important to the science teacher.
Among those factors are durability,
comfort and chemical splash protection.
It is the teacher's responsibility
to keep these factors in mind
when selecting eyewear. As clearly
stated in the Flinn Scientific
Catalog/Reference Manual,
"You, the instructor, should decide
what type of eyewear your students
must wear in every case." The
information and high quality eye
and face protection Flinn provides
will help you make an informed,
responsible choice. |
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| © 2006 Flinn Scientific, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction
permission is granted to science teachers who are current customers
of Flinn Scientific, Inc. No part of this material may be reproduced
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including, but not limited to photocopy, recording, or any information
storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from
Flinn Scientific, Inc.
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