Eye Protection
Adequate eye protection is required for all individuals in the laboratory. Do not remove your eye protection until you have physically left the lab room. The following types of eye protection are acceptable.
Protective glasses and face shields that cover corrective prescription lenses
are commercially available and/or from Chemistry Stores.
• Normal prescription eyeglasses, either with or without safety side shields as
long as the glasses are shatterproof and cover a large enough area
surrounding your eye (this usually means that the frames must be a minimum
of 2 inches (5 cm) from top to bottom as well as from side to side). NOTE:
check size restrictions with your supervisor/instructor. Use safety glasses with
side shields that have been approved by the CSA.
• Where exposure to toxic or irritating fumes could be a problem, the best form of
eye protection is safety goggles. Safety goggles that will form a tight seal to
your face.
• Contact lenses can be a hazard and sometimes should not be worn in the lab.
Therefore contact lenses wearers have three options in the labs:
a) remove the contact lens before entering the lab and wear safety glasses
or safety goggles.
b) replace the contact lens with prescription glasses
c) wear the contact lens into the lab under a pair of safety goggles but you
must inform your supervisor/ instructor about it.
• A full-face shield is highly recommended when there is a risk of explosion or
splashing, or with combustion and high temperature reactions.