Prescription Safety Glasses
Regular prescription glasses aren’t safety glasses. Their lenses and frames can shatter or pop out when struck, and they don’t have side protection. If you need vision correction, OSHA requires eye protection that includes your prescription or fits safely over your glasses.
- Construction
- General Industry
Your options
| Option | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription safety glasses | All-day wear | Must have Z87 markings on frames and lenses, plus side shields |
| Over-the-glasses (OTG) safety glasses or goggles | Short tasks, visitors, new hires | Bulky; can fog; make sure they fit over your frames |
| Contact lenses with safety glasses or goggles | Workers who prefer contacts | Dust, chemicals and dry heat can irritate eyes; have spare glasses |
| Face shield over prescription safety glasses | Grinding, chipping, chemical splashes | A face shield alone isn’t primary eye protection |
Reading the markings
- Z87 on the frame shows it meets ANSI/ISEA Z87.1. Prescription lenses that meet the standard are marked with the maker’s mark and Z87-2.
- A + means high-impact rated, which most construction and industrial work calls for.
- Side shields should be permanently attached or wraparound.
Tips
- Get a current eye exam; uncorrected vision causes trips and mistakes.
- Ask for anti-fog coating and polycarbonate lenses.
- For overhead work, consider safety bifocals or progressives with a reading area at the top, so you don’t tilt your head back.
- Tinted or transition lenses aren’t for indoor or night work. See Eye & Face Protection.
- Keep a spare pair in your truck.
Who pays?
Employers must pay for required PPE, but OSHA lets employers not pay for prescription safety eyewear if the employer allows workers to wear it off the jobsite. Many employers still pay for it or offer an allowance, and some union contracts cover it. Ask.
Regular glasses under nothing at all is one of the most common eye injury setups. A chip from a grinder or a splash of concrete can get around or through them.
Standards & references
- 29 CFR 1910.133(a)(3): Eye protection for workers who wear prescription lenses
- ANSI/ISEA Z87.1: Eye and face protection
Last updated: