Posted By Ian Stone We have a number of tutors (about 30) who work in our Engineering and Woodworking departments. They have asked us to but prescription safety glasses, in the past we have issued the safety over goggles. Staff say these are uncomfortable to wear and have started to leave them off (not good when we are supposed to be teaching students safely). we contacted a well known optician who can supply vouchers to but the safety glasses. However, following risk assessments we have found that some tutors would need different types of glasses for different jobs, high impact resistant, chemical resistant etc. From talking to different Colleges they have gone back to over goggles. My idea is to get a company in to trail different safety over goggles and find out what is most comfortable for the tutors to wear, instead of buying them lots of different pairs of glasses. Any help/thoughts would be great Ian

Posted By Ian Stone Robert Thanks for the response. We have met with the people from Specsavers. The main issue is do we go down the route of supplying safety glasses (sometmes several pairs for different jobs) or safety over goggles, that will fit over their exsisting glasses and will be able to be used all the time and not have to be changed depending on the job at the time? We have looked at reducing the risks and the glasses are their to cover the residual risks from Swarth and cutting fluid etc Ian

Posted By Ken Taylor Would spectacles be adequate for eye protection in your workplaces or is full enclosure needed (ie as provided by over-goggles)?

Posted By Ken Taylor You can see something of why so many operatives don't use PPE on the sites when the examples of their tutors are taken into account. When I was with a local authority some years ago, we took on some technical colleges/ schools of building at one stage and I was presented with a major task of visiting each of the trades sections and getting the 'old hands' type tutors to practise and teach safe working methods. Basically they were teaching what they had learned on site rather than using any HSE or industry lead body health and safety guidance. Effective management is necessary to achieve good H&S standards - even within the Education Sector!

Posted By Ken Taylor Yes, Ron. Face shields or goggles tend to be advised for use with toxic or corrosive substances.

Posted By John Murgatroyd If some are working with wood and need protection from the dust, they will find that wearing spectacles as well as rpe (face mask) is hard work. The spectacles will mist over. As will goggles, because the masks rarely fit correctly and the moist air breathed out passes up the sides of the nose and reach the spectacles. In most cases a face shield would be worn complete with fltered air supply from a body-worn pump. Which is what I wear in my high-dust workshop atmosphere. Wearing goggles as well as spectacles is not only uncomfortable but frequently painful, as well as causing eye strain. Wearing spectacles under a visor/faceshield is not a problem at all. The faceshields/visors are about £22.00 each, the pump/battery/hose units are about £197.00. Various filters are available from simple dust to those providing protection from chemical fumes.