Safety Glasses Tested - Does ANSI Make a Difference?
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The ToolBoxBuzz crew sampled a wide range of glasses that were easily available off the shelf at the big-box store or available online. We chose the $10-30 range in order to sample quality glasses. We also included one brand [HDX] that is sold in that price range as a 6-piece, bulk option. We chose HDX because it was priced low and MANY contractors buy these types of glasses in bulk.
Some of the glasses were "lens and frame" style and some were molded one-piece style. We tested the seven models, listed below:
Bolle Prism II # 40059
Edge Brazeau # XB131VS
HDX #1004307679
Honeywell UVEX # S2940XP
Milwaukee # 48-73-2020
Pyramex # SB8620DTM
3M # 47000H1
Safety Glasses Testing
Most of the testing we conducted would be considered "High Impact" testing. We looked at seven categories, which included:
Impact testing: Nail gun impact test, Steel spike impact test, and a Needle Penetration impact test
Fog test
Comfort
Frame technology
Visual clarity
Thermal plastic rubber [TPR] technology
Price
Impact Testing - What Constitutes An Impact Failure
The team decided that we would use four criteria to determine positive safety glasses' failure. They were:
Lens detachment
Fracture of lens
Penetration of rear of the lens
Frame breakage
What happened next was amazing and "eye-opening!" Yup I just said that!!
Photo: Moment of 16D nail impact. This is a dangerous test - Do NOT DO This!
Pneumatic Nail Impact Test
We shot four 16-penny [3-1/2"] framing nails from a distance of 12-inches. Each pair of glasses were affixed to a mannequin head and secured with a bungee cord.
What was truly amazing to the team was that ALL of the ANSI rated safety glasses, regardless of price-point, were able to withstand the nail strikes from such a close distance.
Photo: Pneumatic nail impacts on the lens
Steel Spike Impact Test [ANSI Standard]
Frames and lenses must be capable of resisting a 17.6 oz steel spike dropped from a height of 50", measured from glasses to the top of pipe drop.
Pyramex was the only pair we tested that lost a lens during this testing. In the test, the opposite lens impacted by the steel spike "popped" out of the frame. The lens popped back in place.
Needle Penetration Impact Test
The lens must be capable of resisting penetration by a needle with a total weight of 1.56 oz dropped from a height of 50 inches.
The marking appears in the upper or outer corner of the lens on prescription safety glasses
One important thing to note is that an ANSI rating does not require "3rd Party Testing," however, a safety glass manufacturer MUST provide 3rd Party testing upon request. If you're in charge or purchasing safety glasses for your company - make sure to request proof of third party impact testing.
Safety Glass Fog Test
One of the biggest complaints of construction safety glasses is fogging. Anti-fog coatings are designed to help reduce fogging in cold to warm temperature transitions (like from your belt to your face) in moderate to high humidity environments.
Bolle and HDX failed this test. All of the other glasses have high-quality anti-fog lens coatings.
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Two Types Of Anti-Fog Treatment
Not all safety glasses have anti-fog treatment and most of the ones that do have what's called a hydrophobic coating. hydrophilic coatings are a water-based coating, once you clean your glasses a few times, the coating is no longer effective. Top-quality safety glasses use hydrophilic anti-fog coatings and will last the life of the glass and is baked into the lens.
Best Overall Safety Eyeglasses
Winner - Milwaukee
Milwaukee took first place followed closely by Honeywell and Edge in close third place. All three of these glasses have anti-fog technology. Both Milwaukee, Honeywell, and Edge impressed the team in almost every category evaluated.
All of these safety glasses impressed us with impact testing, especially the nail gun test. With that said any of these glasses will protect you from flying objects. Now that we got that out of the way let me remind you of the two biggest reasons why we don't like safety glasses:
They fog up
They scratch and obscure my vision
Fogging should NEVER be a problem for you if you chose the correct safety glasses. All three of the top-ranking glasses have permanent bonded anti-fog technology applied to the lens as opposed to a wash/wear off coating after extended use or repeated cleanings.
Now anti-scratch technology is a bit different and there is no standard technique to test for this, and manufacturers don't test for it so it's harder to evaluate it.
13 мар 2020
