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Anti-Fog Safety Glasses: Simple Facts

anti fog gogglesThe eyes contribute to the most important sense, which is sight. This being the case, we need to take care of them to the best of our abilities. This means that if there is a problem we should get it treated as soon as possible. In the case of a potential problem, we would need to take preventative measures. The problem is that there are so many dangers especially in the work environment that it can get tricky to fully protect our eyes. This however, can be solved by use of safety glasses.

What are anti-fog glasses?
The anti-fog glasses, as the name suggests are glasses made for the purpose of protecting the eyes from impact from a wide variety of particles and debris. In the event that temperatures go up or even the humidity, normal protective glasses will fog up and become useless since you cannot see. Anti-fog glasses are designed with this in mind and are made such that even with the increase in humidity and drop temperature, they do not fog up.

Fogging up of glasses is not only a nuisance but also pose a potential danger especially when dealing with power tools or even in hostile situations. The problem is that in this type of situation there can be an overwhelming urge to take the glasses and wipe them and this is all it takes for disaster to strike. It would only take a second for permanent damage to be done to the user's eyes.

Manufacturers
There are many manufacturers that specialize in this type of glasses. They go out of their way to ensure that their glasses work even under the most extreme of conditions. This is why they are continually researching to make better glasses. This is done by directly targeting the causes of fogging in the glasses.

Typically sudden changes in the temperature around the lenses, as well as the moisture in the air, are the key reasons for fogging. Condensation on the surface of the glasses is what causes the fogging since the lenses take longer to heat up matching the air around them, which causes water vapor to form on the lenses. Fogging on the interior section will usually be due to the air on the inside being warmer than the air on the outside especially when this air is trapped there.

One of the simplest fixes for this situation will usually be to have a steady flow of air through the lenses. This allows the air from inside to mix freely with the air on the outside. The larger the difference between the two is then the faster that fogging will occur. Preventing a difference is therefore very effective at preventing a fogging situation. This is however not the only way to prevent fogging. This will not be an ideal way of dealing with fogging in very extreme environments. This is where a different technology requires to be applied and various manufacturers have found various ways to deal with it.

To better understand how anti-fog glasses actually work, there are certain basic facts that one needs to know. Below are a few of the facts and misconceptions about anti-fog glasses that you should know.

Glasses are different
Most glasses seem the same at a glance but, the truth is that they are quite different. This is not just in respect to the manufacturer, but in terms of design and application among other aspects. This can and is often a very costly misconception because getting the wrong type of glasses does significantly increase the chances of accidents.

It is also costly because most people will realize their mistake after they have already made the purchase. By that time they will usually find out that the glasses are inappropriate for the use for which they were intended. Research indicates that having incorrect gear is responsible for a large percentage of work related injuries. Many eye safety devices will look similar but, they often have varying features for use in very specific environments and this makes it absolutely necessary to match the two perfectly.

Government Standards
One would think that glasses are so insignificant enough to go under the government regulatory radar but the opposite is the case. This is due to the risks involved in fields where these glasses are required. Before glasses can be approved for use, they must meet certain standards as stipulated. After such equipment has been approved there are then guidelines for their usage as pertaining to their maintenance and who should do it.

In the United States it is required by law that the employer is the one to maintain safety equipment and this includes protective glasses. They must therefore ensure that the glasses are kept clean and are in reliable and working condition. In the U.S., all materials should meet the criteria set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). Of course, every country have their own regulatory authorities alongside the international standards. The manufacturing company should comply with both the local and international standards. This will ensure that the end users of the product are safe at all times.

Hazards are different
It is important to remember when purchasing anti-fog glasses they will be designed for certain hazards. While there will be a standardization in terms of risk thresholds, most risks will far outweigh these thresholds. This means that it is best to get glasses that are specified for the type of risk involved. Hazards will typically be classified into certain categories such as heat, impact, dust, glare and optical radiations. Glare and optical radiation are not as tangible as the rest of the classes of risk though they still pose significant risk to workers.

Lenses & Frames
When picking out anti-fog glasses it will be very important to consider the frame and the lenses. This is because this is the real line of defense for your eyes. These two must be appropriate for the job at hand. The lenses on these types of glasses will be typically be made of polycarbonates or glass. Glass may not sound like it should be making protective gear since it is typically very fragile but for these glasses it will be reinforced and will be appropriate for conditions where gases are the potential risk.

Glass is also suitable because it does not scratch easily. The disadvantage to having glass for lenses is that it does not have high impact resistance. This one of the reason why most manufacturers will insist in having the polycarbonate products. They have high impact strength as compared to glass.

Having a polycarbonate for the lenses for protective gear is a safer bet when projectiles and debris is involved because it is stronger and resistant to impact. This material is also lighter and is therefore more suitable for conditions where a lot of movement and flexibility is required. Polycarbonates can also be used in conjunction with other materials to make ballistic visors that are suitable for law enforcement officers.

After the selection of the lenses they will then be mounted onto the frames which can be of two basic types. They can either be frames that are light weight and that rest on the wearer's nose and ears or they can take the form of goggles. Goggles are adapted for situations where a lot of head movement is necessary. The goggle variety of protective eye wear will typically have ventilation ports to allow for free air movements.

Comfort & Style
While most people will not take these two aspects as into consideration until after they have made a purchase and have had time to appreciate the need. The protective gear must be worn for it work and this means that it needs to be comfortable enough for workers to want to wear. It makes no sense to have really strong glasses that will never be worn on account of them being too uncomfortable.

The glasses should be picked out such that they fit the face of the wearer without coming loose or falling off. If there is too much space around the edges then the wearer is exposed to the very risk they are supposed to be protected against. Some products will come in adjustable frames to better fit each individual face.

Some users may have visual impairments and as such or comfort the lenses need to be made correct these problems. Non-fogging lenses will be of no use if the wearer cannot see through it. The good news is that corrective anti-fog lenses are available for such users.

Style may not of extreme importance but then again, employees do not want to be stuck with unattractive glasses. This would easily contribute to the workers not wanting to wear them which would increase injuries in the work place.

Contributed by http://www.weetect.com/

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