Safety Eyewear Markings (ANSI Z87.1)

What it is

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.133 requires eye and face protection where workers are exposed to flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustics, chemical gases or vapors, or injurious light radiation, and it incorporates ANSI Z87.1 by reference. Z87.1 is a performance standard: products are marked by the manufacturer with codes that state which hazard tests the device passed. The marks are the only reliable evidence on the product itself.

How to identify

• Frames and lenses are marked separately. Look on the temple, brow bar or frame front, and on the lens edge or corner.
• Manufacturer's mark must appear on frames and lenses.
• Prescription frames for Rx safety lenses carry "Z87-2"; Rx lenses carry the lab or manufacturer mark and a "+" if high impact.

Marking decoder

Key points

• A device is only as good as its weakest marked component: a "+" lens in a frame marked only "Z87" is not a high-impact assembly.
• Spectacles do not provide splash protection. Chemical splash calls for goggles marked D3, plus a face shield where needed.
• Face shields are secondary protection; wear them over spectacles or goggles.
• Shade numbers for welding and cutting come from the task table in 1910.133(a)(5), not from this decoder. See the welding guide.
• Tinted lenses for outdoor glare are not filter lenses for optical radiation unless marked as such.

Common mistakes

• Accepting "meets ANSI standards" on packaging when the product itself is unmarked.
• Putting non-safety prescription lenses in safety frames.
• Using a shaded outdoor lens for torch work.

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.