Eyewear Marking Decoder Chart

What it is

ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 requires the manufacturer to mark eye and face protectors with codes that show which tests the product passed. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.133 references the standard. Frames and lenses are marked separately, and a complete device is only rated to the lowest of its parts. Post this chart where customers pick up eyewear so staff can read the marks in seconds.

How to read it

1. Find the frame mark on a temple, the brow bar or the frame front.
2. Find the lens mark, usually etched near the top edge or a corner.
3. Read each code against the chart. Codes stack, for example "Z87+ U6 X".
4. If either part is unmarked, the device is not a Z87.1 protector.

Decoder

Key points

• High impact requires the "+" on both the frame and the lens. A "+" lens in a plain "Z87" frame is a basic-impact device.
• Splash protection (D3) comes from goggles and face shields, not spectacles.
• Face shields are secondary protectors. Wear spectacles or goggles under them.
• A "W" shade number tells you what the lens is. The shade the task needs comes from the OSHA table in 1910.133(a)(5).
• The anti-fog "X" mark was added in the 2020 edition. Older stock will not have it even if it is coated.
• Where there is a flying-object hazard, 1910.133(a)(2) requires side protection. Clip-on or slide-on side shields must meet Z87.1.

Common mistakes

• Trusting "meets ANSI" on the box when the product has no marks.
• Treating dark sunglass tint as a welding or torch filter.
• Fitting street prescription lenses into a Z87-2 frame.
• Missing that the frame and lens ratings differ.

Governing standards: ANSI/ISEA Z87.1; 29 CFR 1910.133.

Reference only. Verify against the current governing code or standard, the manufacturer's data and the project documents before use. Apps for Distributors disclaims liability arising from reliance on this reference.