Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) including eye and face equipment is required where there is a
reasonable probability of injury that can be prevented by such equipment as identified by
the hazard analysis completed for each job description (per 29 CFR 1910.132(d)) (See Appendices VII- for guidelines).
In such cases,
the department must make conveniently available a type of protector suitable for the work
to be performed, and employees must use such protectors. No unprotected person knowingly
be subjected to a hazardous environmental condition. Suitable eye protectors must be
provided where machines or operations present the hazard of flying objects, glare,
liquids, injurious radiation, or a combination of these hazards, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.133 (a)(1).
Exceptions
Eye
protection is required and must be worn in all locations in the building with the
exception of the following: Classrooms, offices, computer terminal rooms, lounges,
restrooms, hallways.
At
the discretion of the safety committee, a clearly marked desk area, located in a
laboratory, may be exempt. However, this must have written approval of the committee and
the department head.
Eye protection areas
Eye
protection areas mean essentially all operating laboratories or facilities,
especially when activities are occurring that involve:
- A. Corrosive or
other chemically hazardous materials.
- B. Hot molten
metals.
- C. Heat
treatment, tempering or heating of flammable, solvents, corrosives or any other material
above its relative flash point or above ambient room temperature, whichever is lower.
- D. Gas or
electric arc welding.
- E. Machine shop
operations.
- F. Vacuum
evaporation, use of cryogenic apparatus or any evacuated experimental system where an
implosion hazard exists.
- G. Chemical
reactions, including high pressure reactors as well as reactions conducted in glass
systems at any temperature or pressure.
- H. Laser
laboratories.
- I. Plasma arc.
- J. Any other
activity or operation involving mechanical or manual work in any area that is potentially
hazardous to the eye.
Acceptable
eye protection includes:
1.
Industrial safety glasses with side shields.
2.
Your regular prescription glasses WITH PLASTIC LENSES with the addition of side shields,
which may be purchased through Environmental Health and Safety.
3.
Visitor eyeglasses with side shields -- acceptable only for temporary use by visitors to
laboratory areas. It is the host's responsibility to provide adequate eye protection for
all lab guests. Visitor eyeglasses are available from the storeroom or from the
receptionist's desk.
4.
When performing especially hazardous tasks, use either standard laboratory goggles or full
face shields, whichever are appropriate or both. Visorgogs or conventional, vented vinyl
lab goggles with polycarbonate window material of 0.060-inch minimum thickness are
available from the University Bookstore. Faceshields are for protection of the worker's
face only. Faceshields shall be used only with primary eye protection.
5.
Personnel who wear contact lenses in the laboratory are required to wear additional eye
protection. The level of protection shall be determined by the hazard analysis completed
by the department. Supporting information may be found in "Prudent Practices for
Handling Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories," and the CRC "Handbook of
Laboratory Safety, Edition 4".
All
eye protection devices must meet the requirements of American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) Z87.1-1989. The approved devices will be stamped with Z87 on appropriate
components.
Wearing
of contact lenses in contaminated atmosphere with a respirator is not allowed,
29 CFR 1910.134(e)(5)(ii).
ANSI
Z87.1-1989 Standard.
Eye
protection devices, which shall include safety spectacles (with side shields), face
shields or goggles, must comply with the ANSI Z87.1-1989 Standard.
All
eye protection devices purchased through EH&S do meet these requirements. In the case
of chemical goggles, only those with no-fog lenses shall be permitted.
NMSU Safety Policies
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