Eye and Face Protection for Safe Work
In many work environments, eyes and faces are at risk from flying particles, dust, liquids, or heat. Without the proper eye protection or face protection, this can lead to serious injury or permanent damage. Eye and face protection is therefore an essential part of personal protective equipment in sectors such as construction, industry, and engineering. Depending on the nature of the work, you can choose between standalone eye protection or full-face protection. At All Safety, you’ll find professional solutions for working safely, tailored to a wide range of risks and working conditions.
Eye Protection for Construction and Industry
Eye protection is essential for work involving risks from splinters, dust, metal particles, or chemical splashes. Examples include grinding, drilling, assembly work, or industrial production environments.
In situations such as grinding or plasma cutting, specific eye protection is required to prevent damage from sparks, light radiation, or flying particles. The right eye protection for plasma cutting not only protects against mechanical hazards but also against intense light sources.
Whether eye protection is mandatory is determined based on the Risk Inventory and Evaluation (RI&E) and the applicable safety regulations within the sector. In many work environments where mechanical or chemical risks are present, eye protection is mandatory to ensure safe working conditions.
In addition to eye protection, portable emergency showers can help create an even safer work environment.
Face Protection for Increased Risks
When not only the eyes but also the face is exposed to risks, face protection is necessary. A face shield protects against larger flying particles, liquid splashes, and thermal stress.
Face protection is commonly used during grinding, welding, woodworking, and work involving chemicals. By shielding the entire face, the risk of injury is significantly reduced. Regular glasses provide insufficient protection in certain situations.
The choice of appropriate face protection depends on the nature of the work, the severity of the risk, and environmental factors. Effective eye and face protection combines safety with comfort, allowing for prolonged use without hindering work performance.
Helmet Combinations and Integrated Protection
In some work environments, a combination of head, eye, and face protection is necessary. A safety helmet with a face shield offers integrated protection against impacts from above as well as against flying particles or splashes from the front.
Construction helmets with face shields are also widely used in construction and industry, where simultaneous protection of the head and face is required. In situations with high noise levels, a face shield can be combined with hearing protection to address multiple risks at once.
By coordinating different types of protective equipment, you can create safe and efficient work gear that is tailored to the risks in the work environment.
Frequently Asked Questions About Eye Protection
If the safety glasses comply with the required international (ISO) standards and additional protective requirements, they can be worn for extended periods without causing discomfort, thereby providing adequate protection against the risks previously identified based on the industry, nature, and scope of the work.
Safety glasses must comply with the new standard EN ISO 16321-1:2022/A1:2025 (formerly NEN EN 166). The CE (Conformité Européenne) marking indicates that the safety glasses comply with European safety standards and directives regarding safety, health, the environment, and performance.
As of November 11, 2025, new products may no longer be certified according to EN 166. Existing EN 166 certificates remain valid until the specified expiration date. In other words, existing inventory may be sold as long as the certificate is still valid. Once the certificate expires, the product must be recertified according to the new standard. The new standard has been harmonized under the PPE Regulation EU 2016/425.
Instead of harmonizing safety criteria at the European level, the goal is to harmonize them internationally (ISO). The aim is to improve fit and protection by adopting different head shapes (EU-Asian). Greater protection for safety eyewear (design/model) is required by providing a larger protective surface area for the eyes and eye sockets. Stricter requirements are being sought regarding impact resistance, scratch resistance, UV protection, and optical quality. New risk groups are being introduced, along with improved testing methods and a new impact testing system.
No, the standard is one of the factors that determines the correct choice of safety glasses. The employer must identify the risks associated with the work based on the legally required Risk Inventory and Evaluation (RI&E). The employer must then conduct an assessment of the eye risks (mechanical, chemical, optical). Based on this assessment, the appropriate specifications and protection classes according to EN ISO 16321-1:2022/A1:2025 are selected. In other words, select the appropriate field of use and impact class for continuous use based on the risks. This selection determines the appropriate safety eyewear, with the goal of preventing eye hazards in the workplace.
The employer is responsible for and oversees (Purchasing – Safety Officer) the procurement and use of the appropriate PPE within his or her company. It is important to incorporate the EN ISO 16321-1:2022/A1:2025 standard into PPE policies, RI&E documents, and procurement documents, paying particular attention to the correct markings.
Code C: low impact velocity of 45 m/s for the coverage area of the orbital protection zone (OPZ) (formerly F in EN 166). Code D: medium-high impact velocity of 80 m/s for the coverage area of the Extended Orbital Protection Zone (EOZ). This is new compared to the old EN 166. Code E: High impact velocity of 120 m/s for the coverage area of the Face Protection Zone (FPZ) (formerly B in EN 166). Code A: 190 m/s has been discontinued. Code HM: High-mass impact (500 g drop test). Protection against heavier objects. Code T: Tested at extreme temperatures -5 °C / +55 °C. Protection in cold or hot conditions. The T impact tests at extreme temperatures are always combined with CT, DT, ET, and HMT.
- Code 3: Protection against liquid droplets/splashes.
- Code 4: Protection against large dust particles.
- Code 5: Protection against gas and fine dust particles (gas-tight).
- Code 6: Protection against high-pressure liquid jets. This is new.
- Code 7: Resistance to radiant heat. For example, welding. This is new.
- Code 9: Protection against molten metal and hot solid particles (not intended for acid-resistant goggles).
A product may combine multiple codes. Additional requirements for other risks, such as UV, infrared radiation, and solar filters, are also incorporated. “Enhanced optical performance” in the context of EN ISO 16321-1:2022/A1:2025 means that the eye protection meets stricter requirements for optical qualities, such as improved light transmission.