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New eye protection standard features several key changes
Safety professionals who understand the need for and use of protective eyewear may nonetheless be perplexed by the recently revised ANSI Z87.1-2003 Standard. The revisions of the American National Standards Institute's voluntary, though commonly complied-with, industrial standard are some of the most significant in the history of protective eyewear.
Because ANSI Z87.1-2003 became effective in August, safety professionals need to familiarize themselves with the new standard as soon as possible. In this article, we'll try to clarify the major changes in Z87.1-2003, officially called the "American National Standard Practice for Occupational and Educational Personal Eye Protective Devices."
First, you may be surprised to learn that the new standard was not developed by ANSI. In fact, ANSI doesn't write standards at all. ANSI's role is as an accrediting body. The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), as secretariat for ANSI's ANSI Z87 committee, developed the new standard. This is important to know because safety professionals with questions should contact ASSE for answers. (See contact information for ASSE in the box to the right.)
Users win
Since this industrial eyewear standard was last revised in 1989, eyewear styles are not the only thing that has changed. New materials and technologies have led to improvements in protection, comfort, design and style. Eye protection that is compliant with the new Z87.1-2003 standard will provide better coverage, and additional benefits for users will most likely include lighter weight, greater comfort and wider choice of styles. While making eye protection that meets the new standard's requirements, manufacturers can also make eye protection that is more appealing to the eye and to the wearer.
ANSI Z87.1-2003 covers the same eye protectors (spectacles, goggles, faceshields, welding helmets and handshields) as the old standard. However, the new standard has also been expanded to include...