Over the 70+ years that Hi-Tech Optical has been in business, one common theme we tell our customers is they need to offer a wide variety of safety glasses for their workers. Why is it important to have a good variety of safety glasses? The better the variety of safety glasses, the higher the employee utilization of the glasses and the better your compliance with legal regulations. If the employees like their safety glasses and they are comfortable, they will wear them.
Factors that must be considered when providing a safety glasses selection for employees is style, fit, safety, and job needs.
- Style: Employees like to wear a stylish frame. No one wants to look like a dork with big huge ugly frames.
- Fit: Safety glasses need to fit comfortably on the face. If it is not comfortable to wear, the worker will constantly take them on and off (increasing the risk of eye injury)… or mysteriously “lose” them because they don’t want to wear them any more. Faces come in all sizes and shapes, from large or small, oblong or round, small nose or big nose, etc. A large selection of safety glasses will allow workers to find a frame style that matches their facial features to offer optimal comfort and fit.
- Safety: If a worker has a safety glass that fits properly on their face, their eyes are better protected. If the fit is too loose around the nose, forehead, eyes or ears, there is an increased risk for exposure to unwanted elements, as well as slippage resulting in complete exposure without protection.
- Job: All safety glasses are not created equal. Some are made specifically for different job applications. Companies must consider the job requirements and offer the best frames and lenses for the specific hazards and risks their workers face. For example, if workers need complete protection of their entire face, they may need safety goggles. Or they may even need a respirator or faceshield with an insert for prescriptions to enable the worker to see clearly.
Many companies with safety glasses programs have a large selection of 20, 30, 40 or more to ensure worker compliance because an increased variety of safety glasses will help workers stay safe.