ISO/TC 94/SC 6/WG 4 - Occupational eye and face protection

This document specifies additional material, design, performance and marking requirements for eye and face protectors designed to provide protection for the eyes and faces of persons against occupational hazards, such as optical radiation, impacts from flying particles and fragments, and hot solids during welding and related techniques. The other applicable requirements for welding protectors are given in ISO 16321‑1. This document also applies to welding protectors used in educational establishments. This document also applies to those eye and face protectors used for occupational-type tasks that are performed similarly to an occupation, e.g. "do-it-yourself".

This document specifies additional performance and marking requirements for mesh protectors designed to provide protection for the eyes and faces of persons against mechanical hazards such as impacts from flying particles and fragments. The other applicable requirements for mesh protectors and the frames/mountings to which they are intended to be fitted are given in ISO 16321‑1. This document also applies to mesh protectors used in educational establishments. This document also applies to those eye and face protectors used for occupational-type tasks that are performed similarly to an occupation, e.g. "do‑it‑yourself". This document is not applicable to protectors for use against liquid splash (including molten metal), hot solid risks, infrared and ultraviolet radiation. For protection against these hazards suitable additional or alternative protectors according ISO 16321‑1 will be needed. This document does not apply to mesh protectors used in sports such as fencing.

This document specifies general requirements for eye and face protectors. These protectors are intended to provide protection for the eyes and faces of persons against one or more common occupational hazards such as impacts from flying particles and fragments, optical radiation, dusts, splashing liquids, molten metals, heat, flame, hot solids, harmful gases, vapours and aerosols. Additional requirements for eye and face protectors used during welding and related techniques and for mesh protectors are given in ISO 16321-2 and ISO 16321-3, respectively. This document applies to: — all plano as well as corrective and prescription lensed protectors and components; — those eye and face protectors used for occupational-type tasks that are performed similarly to an occupation, e.g. "do-it-yourself"; — those eye and face protectors used in educational establishments. This document does not apply to: — protectors specifically intended for protection against only solar radiation and used in non- occupational environments for which the ISO 12312 series applies; — protectors for medically prescribed applications (not occupational), e.g. eye protection for severe dry eye, tints prescribed for medical conditions; — patient eye protectors during diagnosis or treatment (e.g. ISO/TR 22463); — protectors for use during medical or e.g. aesthetic applications, e.g. intense light sources (ILS) for which the ISO 12609 series applies; — protectors specifically intended for sports for which the ISO 18527 series applies; — laser protectors; — face protectors intended for live-working to protect against short-circuit electric arcs for which IEC 62819 applies; — protectors intended to protect against ionizing radiation, e.g. X-rays, for which IEC 61331-3 applies.

ISO 12609-1:2013 specifies performance and labelling of eye protectors used for ILS equipment used on humans and animals for cosmetic and medical applications against excessive exposure to optical radiation in the spectral range 250 nm to 3 000 nm, with the exception of laser radiation. ISO 12609-1:2013 provides a specification for an eye protector expected to cope with the majority of applications. A more rigorous procedure for determining appropriate eye protection against spectral outputs from ILS equipment is described in the annexes.

ISO 12609-2:2013 gives guidance and information to users, manufacturers, suppliers, and safety advisors on the selection and use of eye protectors for intense light source (ILS) equipment used on humans and animals for cosmetic and medical applications against excessive exposure to optical radiation in the spectral range 250 nm to 3 000 nm, with the exception of laser radiation. ISO 12609-2:2013 provides guidance on selection of an eye protector expected to cope with the majority of applications and a more rigorous procedure for determining appropriate eye protection against spectral outputs from ILS equipment.