Arc Flash Glasses Aren't A Thing

You may have seen arc-rated safety glasses being promoted by some PPE manufacturers. And while they do offer benefits as part of a complete arc flash protection kit, there is a fundamental—and dangerous—misunderstanding that needs to be corrected.

What’s the big deal?

ASTM F2178 is the Standard for determining arc ratings for eye or face protection products. This Standard was created to address face shields and hoods—anything worn to cover the eyes or the face.

You can technically test glasses using this methodology, and they may in fact achieve an arc rating higher than 1-cal.

However, since NFPA 70E is the overall controlling standard for arc flash PPE, you also have to comply with all of that standard’s requirements: NFPA 70E says you have to have the whole face covered.

No matter how good your glasses may be, they’re not going to cover the entire face. It might (might) protect the eyes against an arc flash event, but the rest of the face is going to get pretty uncomfortable.

The proper way to use safety glasses for arc flash

For eyewear, NFPA 70E says you have to wear ANSI Z87.1-compliant glasses under your mandatory face shield. That’s all. The eyewear does not have to be arc-rated, because the face shield/hood will be providing the bulk of the protection.

Additionally, any safety glasses you do wear under the face shield should not have any metal parts, as they may draw energy towards the face and increase the risk of serious injury.

Is there a benefit to wearing arc-rated glasses? Yes. They may offer a bit more protection in the event of an arc flash incident, but they are a secondary layer of protection and should be treated as such.