Choosing the best prescription safety goggles for workers with vision problems

In the past, workers who used eye protection but also needed vision correction would typically wear protective eyewear over their prescription glasses. While this would have protected their eyes from flying debris and other risks, the protective goggles would fog over easily. Whenever this happens, it defeats the purpose of providing clear vision while protecting workers’ eyes.  

Nowadays, this is hardly an issue with the issuance of prescription safety goggles – personal protective equipment (PPE) that combines the functions of both items. Thanks to advancements in protective eyewear, safety glasses and prescription lenses, you can outfit workers with a single piece of vision-correcting safety eyewear. 

In this guide, Canadian Occupational Safety discusses the need, functionality, and importance of prescription safety glasses. We’ll tackle the important questions like:  

• What are the best safety goggles you can buy in Canada? 
• Where can I find the best prescription safety goggles? 
• What should I look for when choosing the best prescription safety goggles? 

Keep reading as we shed light on these topics and more.  

Introduction to prescription safety goggles 

Prescription safety goggles were first created in the early 1900s, as more industries began to crop up. With the rise of these industries, there were new accompanying industrial work hazards that necessitated eye protection. This led to the invention of the SANIGLAS protective goggles in 1909 by the Julius King Optical Company in the US. At around the same time, awareness about industrial safety hazards and the need for these goggles spilled over to Canada.  

By 1914, American Optical focused on the need for prescription lenses in safety goggles for workers who needed vision correction. This was a crucial time when vision correction was integrated into safety eyewear, affording both eye protection and vision correction to workers with less than 20/20 vision.  

Then in 1923, American Optical (AO) acquired the Julius King Optical Company, and Julius King’s son, Walter King, played a crucial role in developing AO’s safety division, which later became AO Safety. This business would further evolve into different companies, becoming a part of Cabot Safety, Aearo Technologies, and later 3M Safety Prescription Eyewear.  

The company was eventually acquired by HOYA, a world leader in manufacturing ophthalmic lenses. Today, Julius King’s legacy operates under the name of SafeVision by HOYA and remains the leading provider of prescription safety glasses in North America and one of the leading brands in Canada. 

Industries that need prescription safety goggles 

These are essential PPEs for workers with less than perfect vision and are engaged in industries that require sufficient eye protection. Prescription safety goggles can ensure the protection of workers’ eyes while raising their effectiveness. Here are the most common industries that require these goggles:  

1. Construction industry  

This industry has numerous hazards that require a high level of eye protection. Flying debris, chemical splashes, dust particles, and heavy equipment that pose safety risks during operation and maintenance are among these hazards.  

Construction workers are also often exposed to small particles from cutting, grinding, sanding, and hammering, all of which also pose eye hazards. Apart from providing ample protection from these dangers, prescription safety goggles for construction should be highly durable, with features like anti-fog coatings, UV protection, and impact-resistant lenses. It’s advisable to choose from among the best prescription safety goggles for construction sites if you’re in this business.  

2. Manufacturing 

Like construction, the manufacturing industry involves operating and maintaining a lot of heavy equipment and stationary machinery. Activities in this industry can expose workers to chemical splashes, sparks, dust, metal shavings, and other small debris. Due to the complexity of the work, the manufacturing sector typically requires workers to have excellent vision, even while wearing protective glasses or goggles.  

3. Auto repair industry 

Technicians and mechanics who work in the auto industry generally work in environments with a plethora of hazards. They can be exposed to sparks, particulate matter from painting, grinding, and cutting, and strong fumes and splashes of chemicals.  

Despite these risks and their high likelihood, unfortunately, many workers in the auto repair and other sectors sometimes neglect to use their protective goggles or glasses. In fact, a report by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS), says there are about 200 eye injuries in Canada daily. The same report mentions that the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) states that 90% of these eye injuries could have been prevented simply by wearing protective eyewear. 

4. Healthcare industry 

Eye protection is also crucial in the healthcare sector. Staff can be exposed to biological hazards like contaminated or infected blood and other bodily fluids. They may also need to work with dangerous chemicals, necessitating more protective equipment that whisks away harmful fumes or odors.  

Dentists, surgeons, lab technicians, and other healthcare professionals are constantly exposed to risks of eye injuries. Work environments like clinics, hospitals, and laboratories all need protective eyewear to maintain safety standards and preserve visual acuity. That’s why using protective eyewear with prescription lenses can lessen the risk of these injuries while accommodating their corrective vision needs.  

5. Quarrying and mining 

This industry is full of hazards that pose great risk of injuries to workers’ eyes and other body parts. Flying rocks, dust, debris, and chemicals are a small sample of the many eye hazards that workers face daily. Given that the average age of miners is 45 years old, many miners are prone to having vision problems; making prescription safety goggles or glasses an absolute must in these workplaces.  

Keep in mind that the aforementioned industries are those with the highest incidence of eye injuries. It is also important to know that generally, wearing protective eyewear is a small part of ensuing the overall safety of your workforce.  

When looking for the best protective eyewear for your company and its employees, remember to procure all the necessary PPEs appropriate for your industry for protecting the head, face, torso, hands, legs, and feet as well. And in cases when workers get debris, dust, or other harmful substances into their eyes, having the best eyewash stations installed is a good safety strategy.  

Regulatory standards for prescription safety eyewear in Canada 

In Canada, the primary regulatory authorities that establish and oversee safety standards for eye protection are:  

• Canadian Standards Association (CSA) 
• Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) 
• American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 

The main safety standard that is involved in setting the minimum standards and performance requirements for prescription safety goggles is the CSA standard Z94.3-15. However, some industries and companies also choose to adopt the standards set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and its corresponding standard for safety eyewear, ANSI Z87.1.  

Safety glasses vs safety goggles: what’s the difference?  

As you may have noticed, the terms safety goggles and safety glasses may be used interchangeably. While they may seem similar, they have subtle but critical differences. For one, safety glasses offer less protection than safety goggles in certain work environments. These PPEs differ in terms of:  

Comfort 

Most safety glasses are lighter and more comfortable than safety goggles, which are often bulkier and more difficult to put on and take off. However, there are some designs of safety goggles that have a soft frame gasket that can make them more comfortable to use.  

Protection 

Safety goggles afford more protection, as they typically create a closed, airtight seal around the eyes while glasses have gaps around the lenses. Safety goggles are more suited to protecting against airborne particles, splashes of hazard chemicals or liquids, and projectiles. Safety glasses are usually effective in shielding eyes from projectiles but lack the ability to protect eyes from fine particles or splashes.  

Using corrective lenses 

Safety goggles without corrective lenses can be worn over prescription spectacles. The same cannot be done with safety glasses. 

Impact protection 

While safety glasses do have some degree of impact resistance due to their material, safety goggles typically have greater impact resistance.  

What to look for in prescription safety goggles 

Knowing that your industry and company requires safety goggles for its workers, how do you go about choosing the best ones? The way to do it is to ensure that the goggles are designed to meet safety standards established by the CSA and the ANSI. 

The CSA Z94.3 standard categorizes several classes of protective eyewear and face shields. For our purposes, we’ll focus on eye protection. When procuring prescription safety goggles and other protective eyewear, here are the safety ratings you should know about:  

Class 1A Protective spectacles 

These protective glasses are meant to protect the wearer from impact hazards. Their design includes side protection for enhanced safety in work environments where flying particles are also a risk.  

Class 1B Protective spectacles 

These are like the 1A spectacles but are specifically designed for environments and scenarios that require non-ionizing radiation protection along with the impact hazards.  

Class 2A Direct Ventilated Goggles 

These goggles provide a combination of impact protection and direct ventilation. This type of goggles is often used in scenarios where it’s essential for the wearer to have a clear line of sight while keeping the eyes protected against flying debris. 

Class 2B Non-ventilated and Indirect ventilated goggles 

This type of goggles is meant for environments where splash and dust protection are critical, but the wearer also needs protection from impact hazards.  

Class 2C Goggles for Non-ionizing Radiation 

Apart from impact hazards, this safety goggle type protects the wearer from non-ionizing radiation, such as ultraviolet rays.  

Class 2D Goggles for Laser Radiation 

These goggles incorporate both impact resistance and protection against laser radiation – hazards that can both lead to temporary and permanent blindness.  

Class 2E Goggles for Electrical Arc Protection 

These goggles offer a degree of impact protection while protecting the eyes from the adverse effects of electrical arc flashes.  

Testing requirements for prescription safety goggles 

To be deemed compliant with the CSA standards, prescription safety goggles must pass rigorous testing procedures, including:  

• Impact resistance test – this test determines how well the lenses can withstand the impact forces of certain weights at different speeds. If the lenses chip, shatter, break, or crack, this product is deemed a failure and therefore does not meet CSA standards. 

• Ignition resistance test – this test ensures that the lenses do not catch fire when exposed to high temperatures. The test consists of having a 300mm long steel rod that’s 6mm in diameter with flat ends heated to 650 C, then pressed against the lens for 5 seconds and then removed. To pass this test, the rod is applied to all exposed parts of the protective goggles, and its parts must not ignite or continue to glow after removing the steel rod. 

CSA markings and certifications 

To know which the best prescription safety goggles or glasses that fit your company’s needs, look for the appropriate markings that indicate the type of protection and function they provide. You should also check for the CSA logo to confirm the legitimacy of these markings, and the safety features they represent. 

CSA-compliant products must carry the mark of CSA or any other certifying body that tests and certifies products to CSA as a third party on the glasses or goggles’ lens or temple. To ensure that the protective eyewear you purchase for your staff is legitimate, the manufacturer or supplier certification mark must be seen on all approved safety lenses, safety frames (front and temple), removable side shields, and other parts of the eyewear. Also, when inspecting safety eyewear, there is a difference between markings that say, “certified by CSA” and “meets CSA standards” 

^{Image: hexarmor.com} 

NOTE: “Certified” to the CSA Group standard means that the testing and evaluation must be done or has been done by the CSA Group or in a testing lab that is qualified and audited routinely by CSA. 

“Meets” CSA Group standard means that the CSA has not reviewed the testing data or certified the product. Instead, "meets” means that the testing has been conducted independently, and the test results should be made available to potential buyers upon request. 

ANSI markings and certifications 

When it comes to prescription safety goggles, ANSI defines minimum coverage requirements for frames to ensure both the front of the wearer’s eyes and the sides are protected. Minimum lens thickness is also an important consideration. 

ANSI also recommends various lens retention systems to ensure lenses fit more securely in the safety frame than a typical pair of glasses. In addition, they define the testing methodologies for high mass and high velocity impact resistance, and several other qualifications including splash protection. Prescription safety goggles that meet ANSI Z87.1 standards for design requirements and pass tests defined by ANSI will have visible markings. 

If you find a supplier that offers safety eyewear from a US manufacturer or uses the ANSI standard, here’s what you should look for to ensure they are ANSI compliant and of excellent quality:  

• Z87-2: Rx (medical prescription/medically prescribed) 

• H: coverage 

• +, Z87+, Z87-2+: impact mark 

• O2: relaxed optimal level 

• W shade: welding filter lens 

• U scale number: UV filter lens 

• R scale number: Infrared filter lens 

• L scale number: visible light filter lens 

• V: variable tilt lens 

• S: special purpose lens 

• X: anti-fog coating 

• D3: splash/droplet use 

• D4: dust use 

• D5: fine dust use 

You can see a more detailed description of these markings from the ANSI website and their corresponding guides. A certified safety professional may also help you decipher the importance, the meanings of these markings and which safety eyewear with these markings can serve your needs best. 

Can I buy RX safety goggles online?

Yes, there are many retailers and wholesalers of this type of PPE you can find with a simple online search. Many of these suppliers and manufacturers will also have a customer service hotline should you have more questions about their products.  

There are many unseen benefits to choosing the right prescription safety eyewear to your workers who need them. This PPE not only protects staff from dangerous hazards, but the corrective lenses ensure that they maintain visual acuity and are able to do their jobs well. The anti-fog coating and anti-scratch coating of quality RX safety goggles give them have high usage and durability, so you don’t have to worry about workers not using them. 

Providing your workforce with PPEs like these can boost morale and raise your company’s reputation as an organization that takes care of its own, and not only because it’s part of industry regulations. 

If you found this article on prescription safety goggles useful, don’t hesitate to let us know or share your concerns in the comments.