Eye and Face Protection - Shields

The most common types of full-face and eye protection are face shields and welding shields.

Face shields. These transparent sheets of plastic extend from the eyebrows to below the chin and across the entire width of the employee's head. Some are polarized for glare protection. Face shields protect against nuisance dusts and potential splashes or sprays of hazardous liquids but will not provide adequate protection against impact hazards. Face shields used in combination with goggles or safety spectacles will provide additional protection against impact hazards. Each type of protective eyewear is designed to protect against specific hazards. Employers can identify the specific workplace hazards that threaten employees' eyes and faces by completing a hazard assessment as outlined in the earlier section.

Welding shields. These are made from vulcanized fiber or fiberglass and fitted with a filtered lens. Welding shields protect eyes from burns caused by infrared or intense radiant light; they also protect both the eyes and face from flying sparks, metal spatter, and slag chips produced during welding, brazing, soldering, and cutting operations. OSHA requires filter lenses to have a shade number appropriate to protect against the harmful light radiation encountered in the employee's work.

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