1.Clean your hands with either soap or hydroalcoholic gel.

2.Put the spectacles into water.

3.Take some soap in your hands and scrub every surfaces of the spectacles (30 seconds).

4.Rinse carefully all the surfaces of the spectacles into water.

5.Dry your hands first, then dry the spectacles with a disposable hand towel.

METHOD 02 : DISINFECTION WITH ALCOHOL (70°)

1.Clean your hands with either soap or hydroalcoholic gel.

2.Apply hydroalcoholic solution to every surface of the spectacles.

3.Dry your hands first, then dry the spectacles with a disposable hand towel.

With an alcoholic solution: Premoisten a disposable hand towel with hydroalcoholic solution and scrub the spectacles.

With an alcoholic wipe: Scrub every surface of the spectacles with the wipes (the wipe must be perfume- and dye-free).

WARNING: Anti-Fog and Anti-Scratch coating will not resist a long time disinfection with alcohol. For all the other parts of the spectacles, you will not have any issue using alcohol.

METHOD 03 : DISINFECTION WITH CLEANING WIPE COMPLIANT TO THE EN14476

1.Clean your hands with either soap or hydroalcoholic gel.

2.Apply hydroalcoholic solution to every surface of the spectacles.

3.Dry your hands first, then dry the spectacles with a disposable hand towel.

With a solution compliant to the EN14476: Premoisten a disposable hand towel with disinfecting solution and scrub the spectacles.

WARNING: Anti-Fog and Anti-Scratch coating will not resist a long time cleaning with disinfecting solution. For all the other parts of the spectacles, you won’t have any issue using disinfecting solution.

METHOD 04 : CHLORINE SOLUTION

1.Clean your hands with soap or hydroalcoholic gel.

2.Immerse spectacles in or wipe them with neutral detergent and warm water solution, scrub every surface of the spectacles, then quickly rinse with clean water.

3.Immerse spectacles in or wipe them with Chlorine-based disinfectant solution.

4.Rinse with clean water (sink if available or by immersing in a bucket of clean water).

5.Fully dry (air dry or use clean absorbent towels).

WARNING: Chlorine solution is safer for coating than alcohol, but you still risk to degrade the coating after several cycles of disinfection. For all the other parts of the spectacle, you won’t have any issue by using chlorine solution.

UV-Protection Glasses includes a growing line of personal protective equipment (PPE) designed to block harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from damaging your eyes.

Both UVA and UVB present short and long-term eye health hazards. And since you can’t exactly lather sunscreen on your eyes before working, PPE glasses offer the only way to minimize UVA and UVB exposure to preserve those peepers.

There are two main types of protective eyewear:

Standard PPE safety glasses: Standard UV-Protection Glasses provide all-purpose protection against both direct eye hazards (e.g., debris) and indirect hazards (e.g., UV rays). Standard safety glasses tend to have clear polycarbonate lenses buffering 90-100% of UV radiation. Select these work glasses for durable, versatile eye protection across professional and personal projects.

PPE safety sunglasses: PPE safety sunglasses go one step further, holding tinted polycarbonate lenses capable of blocking 99-100% of UV rays. Opt for PPE safety-grade glasses when working in construction, metalworking, or similarly high UV-exposure tradeswork, or if you frequently engage in outdoor activities like running, cycling, boating, and recreational shooting.

In addition, you can opt for standard PPE over glasses or tinted PPE overglasses. These designs come in goggle form for superior periphery protection. Bonus points: They also slip comfortably over most prescription glasses.

Why Is UV Protection So Important for Safety Glasses?

There are numerous benefits of wearing glare-eliminating, UV-Protection Glasses:

Minimize short-term UV health risks, such as headaches and enflamed, sore, or red eyes prone to tearing up.

Minimize long-term UV health risks, from cataracts and abnormal eye growths to retina damage triggering permanently blurred vision.

Work safely indoors and out, because working inside a factory or walled workshop won’t protect you from UV light. These spaces may contain UV-emitting lamps plus other UV risks like welding machines and lasers.

Questions? Give us a shout to learn how to select the right UV-blocking glasses for your line of work. We’d love to help.

The eyes are called the window to the soul, and sight is arguably the sense that connects us most to the world around us. With this in mind, it makes sense to protect your peepers from harm’s way whenever you can, but it can be hard to always know when you should wear safety goggles. If choosing to don PPE eyewear it’s important to know what kind of workplaces and DIY projects might put your eyes at risk, as well as understanding which goggles will suit you best.

There are a number of reasons to wear safety goggles and glasses, given that they protect your eyes from all manner of dust, debris, and even germs and infections. It’s also vital that you understand the difference between safety glasses and goggles, and have a good idea of which suits your needs best. Things you have to take into account include the hazards of your workplace, your own needs in terms of sight (glasses/no glasses), and the degree of protection you require. That’s why we’ve put together this comprehensive guide to safety goggles.

When Were Safety Goggles Invented?

The first patented “eye protectors” were invented by P. Johnson, an African American in 1880, designed to protect the eyes of firefighters and furnace workers. It wasn’t until 1909 that the first “safety goggles” were born, known as SANIGLAS and developed by the Julius King Optical Company. Since their inception safety goggles were improved upon and developed for various workplaces and hobbies, including cycling and motoring, transforming over the years from heavy glass lenses to the tough plastic-based variety that’s most common today.

The Difference Between Safety Glasses and Goggles

PPE eye protection is not all created equally, and it mostly comes in the form of either safety glasses or safety goggles. Those terms may seem like synonyms but in reality, they’re quite different.

Safety glasses take the shape of regular glasses and are fortified to provide extra protection compared to prescription and sunglasses. They’re often coated with anti-fog and anti-scratch treatment to help you maintain sight if they are stricken, and many of them wrap around the eyes to offer protection from more angles. Certain vendors provide safety glasses with prescription lenses so visually impaired professionals can work without compromising their vision. Safety glasses are often considered a more comfortable and stylish option, however, the nature of their design leaves your eyes somewhat more open to harm.

Safety goggles on the other hand are generally designed to offer more complete protection for the eyes, being worn with a strap that wraps around the back of your head. They’re larger and chunkier than safety glasses but are considered a safer option for jobs with more potential hazards. Many manufacturers now develop and sell variations of their product so you can comfortably wear safety goggles over glasses, as to not compromise the sight of those with prescriptions.

When You Should Wear Safety Goggles – and Why

Safety goggles or other forms of eye protection can save your eyes a lot of trouble in a multitude of workplaces, jobs, and DIY projects, including:

• Joining and Woodworking – Goggles will protect against sawdust and flying debris.
• Fettling and Metal Grinding – You must protect your eyes from the hot sparks and little particles of metal the fly around.
• Scientific Labs – Coming into contact with various, potentially harmful chemicals and droplets means you should wear lab safety goggles.
• Medical Facilities – Goggles and glasses protect you from germs, chemicals, and medicines found in this workplace.
• Firefighting – Fire, smoke, and soot are all hazardous to the eyes.
• Mining – The quantities of dust, dirt, and chemicals flying about make goggles essential.
• Gardening – Pollen and plant matter can easily get in your eyes, so keep them protected.
• Office Jobs – Overexposure to blue light from computer screens could mean you need to take extra measures (good place for safety glasses).

What You Need from Protective Eyewear

When it comes to purchasing your PPE eyewear you must consider what it is that you’re protecting your eyes from, so here are a few things that you should look out for when making a purchase.

• Comprehensive protection – Nothing will get in or out of certain goggles, providing a complete defense against any outside debris or bacteria.
• Anti-fog and anti-scratch lenses ‒ This is essential to all safety eyewear, allows for uncompromised vision and protection in a number of potential contingencies.
• Real comfort ‒ Protecting your eyes shouldn’t be uncomfortable, or leave marks on your face. If you’re wearing them all day you should seek out adjustable straps/arms, breathability, soft padding, etc. to make wearing them less of a chore.
• UV/blue light protection – If you’re working outside all day your eyes are going to exposed to UV rays from the sun, and similarly office jobs can leave you staring at screens giving off blue light for hours on end. If this applies then search for protection with light blocking capacities.

Where You Should Get Yours

At HOFI we have a whole range of safety goggles and safety glasses available to keep your peepers protected at work or at home. Our PPE eyewear range covers all the bases for every different workplace and is affordably priced, because safety shouldn’t break the bank. Come to us and we can kit you out.

With many PPE glasses and goggles on the market these days it can be hard to know which ones are the perfect choice for you. Trying to find something that offers comprehensive protection whilst also remaining comfortable and reasonably stylish can be an uphill struggle, so it’s useful to break down exactly what it is you’re looking for from your pair of safety glasses.

1. Full PPE Protection from Hazards

A good pair of safety glasses will provide your eyes with total protection from the hazards you can come into contact with whilst in the workplace, or indeed during leisure activities. Good PPE glasses will instill in you the confidence that your eyes will be protected from the odd rogue flying chip of wood on a construction site, that they won’t be exposed to harmful chemicals in the lab, and that they will be safe from infection when working in the medical field. Similarly, they should offer security from the sorts of dangers our eyes can encounter while cycling, gardening, or spending time at the shooting range.

But how to tell if a pair of glasses will offer the right level of protection? Look for the certification. In the case of safety glasses you can be confident when making a purchase so long as they are ANSI Z87.1 certified. This means they have gone through a number of tests that assess the level of protection they offer against impact, dust, splashes, and radiation. A pair of safety glasses that have received ANSI Z87.1 certification across these categories can be considered a safe bet for keeping your peepers out of harm’s way.

2. Radiation Protection

Let’s not forget the importance of UV eye protection either. Our eyes are exposed to the UV rays given off by the sun all the time, and the risks are only increased for those of us who work outside. Overexposure to these rays can lead to photokeratitis, cataracts, and even macular degeneration. That’s why it’s important when picking PPE eyewear to also choose a product that works as a pair of UV eye protection glasses. It’s not the most obvious hazard when it comes to PPE, but it’s equally vital when it comes to total security for your eyes.

3. Visibility

It should go without saying that you need a full range of vision on the job, and this can be achieved with clear safety glasses with a protective coating. Being treated with a Vanguard coating can ensure that your safety glasses are as safe and visible as possible, while also increasing their longevity. This protective coating never mists up, making your PPE eyewear into anti-fog safety glasses that are also totally scratch-resistant. Having the Vanguard coating means your glasses will be more resilient to the external factors that can affect visibility, making them safer for use in action, and more reliable for use well into the future.

4. Comfort

Protection is the most important thing when it comes to safety glasses, but comfort is essential when wearing the glasses for extended periods of time. Too often safety glasses are made from hard plastic frames that can dig into your nose and ears causing discomfort, sometimes even leaving behind marks and bruises when worn throughout the day. Comfortable safety glasses will be lightweight, conform to the shape of your face, and be fully adjustable so you can wear them for hours on end without itching to take them off.

5. Style

The cherry on the cake of a strong pair of safety glasses should be an air of stylishness! If you’re going to be wearing these on a daily basis at work, or out in public for play, you shouldn’t have to feel self-conscious in exchange for protection. Chunky goggles, luminous colors, and large ostentatious frames can attract the kind of unwanted attention that will make wearing your PPE feel like something of a chore. An understated, considered design style goes a long way when it comes to safety glasses.

Visit our store to find the perfect safety glasses&goggles