Unfortunately accidents that can cause serious eye injuries occur from time to time in the course of laboratory research. Explosions and unexpected violent reactions can create flying particles and dangerous chemical sprays. In addition, some routine laboratory operations involving UV light and lasers have the potential to cause eye injury.

To minimize the risk of eye injury, The University of Pennsylvania requires that all personnel, including visitors, wear appropriate eye protection at all times while in research laboratories. Ordinary prescription glasses do not provide adequate protection against injury.

Safety glasses must meet the ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standard Z89.1 must be worn at all times in the laboratory. The Environmental Health and Radiation Safety Office recommends UVEX Astrospec 3000 OTG safety glasses (available from Fisher Scientific) because it provides a high level of adjustability, limited splash protection, and can be worn over prescription glasses. UVEX Genesis safety glasses may also be considered for low hazard (biomedical) laboratory work. Although both of these safety glasses provide satisfactory protection against most potential exposures that you may experience in the lab, they do not fit tightly against the face and consequently offer limited protection against chemical splashes.

Goggles, such as the UVEX Stealth, should be worn when carrying out operations in which there is a reasonable danger chemical splashes or sprays, explosions, unexpected violent reaction. For example, splash goggle should be worn when working with glassware under reduced or elevated pressures (e.g. sealed tube reactions), when handling potentially explosive compounds (particarly during distillations), and when employing glass apparatus in high-temperature operations. If possible "safety shields" should also be set up around experiments for additional protection.

Since goggles offer little protection to the face and neck, full-face shields should be worn when conducting certain particularly hazardous laboratory operations. Full-face shields should be worn in conjunction with safety glasses while working with exposed ultraviolet radiation sources.

Students and staff who wear prescription eyeglasses may wish to purchase prescription safety glasses. Pennsylvania Optometrics provides prescription safety glasses at reduced prices for Penn employees.

Special glasses and goggles must be used for protection when working with class 3b and 4 lasers and ultraviolet light sources. Laser safety eyewear is specific to the wavelength of the beam.

The University is required to provide you with the protective eyewear necessary to perform your job safely. Contact EHRS if you have questions regarding the selection of protective eyewear.

Penn Logo UVEX Genesis Safety Glasses.