[Title 29 CFR 1910.133]
[Code of Federal Regulations (annual edition) - July 1, 2002 Edition]
[Title 29 - LABOR]
[Subtitle B - Regulations Relating to Labor (Continued)]
[Chapter Xvii - OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT]
[Part 1910 - OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS]
[Subpart I - Personal Protective Equipment]
[Sec. 1910.133 - Eye and face protection.]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]


29LABOR52002-07-012002-07-01falseEye and face protection.1910.133Sec. 1910.133LABORRegulations Relating to Labor (Continued)OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENTOCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDSPersonal Protective Equipment
Sec. 1910.133  Eye and face protection.

    (a) General requirements. (1) The employer shall ensure that each 
affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed 
to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid 
chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or 
potentially injurious light radiation.
    (2) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses eye 
protection that provides side protection when there is a hazard from 
flying objects. Detachable side protectors (e.g. clip-on or slide-on 
side shields) meeting the pertinent requirements of this section are 
acceptable.
    (3) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee who wears 
prescription lenses while engaged in operations that involve eye hazards 
wears eye protection that incorporates the prescription in its design, 
or wears eye protection that can be worn over the prescription lenses 
without disturbing the proper position of the prescription lenses or the 
protective lenses.
    (4) Eye and face PPE shall be distinctly marked to facilitate 
identification of the manufacturer.
    (5) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses 
equipment with filter lenses that have a shade number appropriate for 
the work being performed for protection from injurious light radiation. 
The following is a listing of appropriate shade numbers for various 
operations.

[[Page 420]]



 
                               Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            Minimum* Protective
          Operations               Electrode Size 1/32 in.            Arc Current                  Shade
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shielded metal arc welding      Less than 3.................  Less than 60...............  7
                                3-5.........................  60-160.....................  8
                                5-8.........................  160-250....................  10
                                More than 8.................  250-550....................  11
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gas metal arc welding and flux                                less than 60...............  7
 cored arc welding
                                                              60-160.....................  10
                                                              160-250....................  10
                                                              250-500....................  10
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gas Tungsten arc welding                                      less than 50...............  8
                                                              50-150.....................  8
                                                              150-500....................  10
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air carbon                      (Light).....................  less than 500..............  10
Arc cutting                     (Heavy).....................  500-1000...................  11
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plasma arc welding                                            less than 20...............  6
                                                              20-100.....................  8
                                                              100-400....................  10
                                                              400-800....................  11
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plasma arc cutting              (light)**...................  less than 300..............  8
                                (medium)**..................  300-400....................  9
                                (heavy)**...................  400-800....................  10
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Torch brazing                                                 ...........................  3
Torch soldering                                               ...........................  2
Carbon arc welding                                            ...........................  14
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


 
                               Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            Minimum* Protective
          Operations               Plate thickness--inches        Plate thickness--mm              Shade
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gas Welding:
  Light                         Under 1/8...................  Under 3.2..................  4
  Medium                        1/8 to 1/2..................  3.2 to 12.7................  5
  Heavy                         Over 1/2....................  Over 12.7..................  6
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oxygen cutting:
  Light                         Under 1.....................  Under 25...................  3
  Medium                        1 to 6......................  25 to 150..................  4
  Heavy                         Over 6......................  Over 150...................  5
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* As a rule of thumb, start with a shade that is too dark to see the weld zone. Then go to a lighter shade which
  gives sufficient view of the weld zone without going below the minimum. In oxyfuel gas welding or cutting
  where the torch produces a high yellow light, it is desirable to use a filter lens that absorbs the yellow or
  sodium line in the visible light of the (spectrum) operation.
** These values apply where the actual arc is clearly seen. Experience has shown that lighter filters may be
  used when the arc is hidden by the workpiece.


[[Page 421]]

    (b) Criteria for protective eye and face devices. (1) Protective eye 
and face devices purchased after July 5, 1994 shall comply with ANSI 
Z87.1-1989, ``American National Standard Practice for Occupational and 
Educational Eye and Face Protection,'' which is incorporated by 
reference as specified in Sec. 1910.6, or shall be demonstrated by the 
employer to be equally effective.
    (2) Eye and face protective devices purchased before July 5, 1994 
shall comply with the ANSI ``USA standard for Occupational and 
Educational Eye and Face Protection,'' Z87.1-1968, which is incorporated 
by reference as specified in Sec. 1910.6, or shall be demonstrated by 
the employer to be equally effective.

[59 FR 16360, Apr. 6, 1994; 59 FR 33911, July 1, 1994, as amended at 61 
FR 9238, Mar. 7, 1996; 61 FR 19548, May 2, 1996]