29 C.F.R. § 1915.153 Eye and face protection.
Title 29 - Labor
(a) General requirements. (1) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection where there are exposures to eye or face hazards caused by flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acid or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation. (2) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses eye or face protection that provides side protection when there is a hazard from flying objects. Detachable side protectors (e.g., a clip-on or slide-on side shield) 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, unless the employee is protected by eye protection that can be worn over prescription lenses without disturbing the proper position of either the PPE or the prescription lenses. (4) The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses equipment with filter lenses that have a shade number that provides appropriate protection from injurious light radiation. Table I–1 is a listing of appropriate shade numbers for various operations. If filter lenses are used in goggles worn under a helmet which has a lens, the shade number of the lens in the helmet may be reduced so that the shade numbers of the two lenses will equal the value as shown in Table I–1, §1915.153. (b) Criteria for protective eye and face devices. (1) Protective eye and face devices purchased after May 20, 1982, shall comply with the American National Standards Institute, ANSI Z87.1–1989, “Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection,” which is incorporated by reference as specified in §1915.5, or shall be demonstrated by the employer to be equally effective. (2) Eye and face protective devices purchased before May 20, 1982, shall comply with “American National Standard Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection, Z87.1 –1979,” which is incorporated by reference as specified in §1915.5, or shall be demonstrated by the employer to be equally effective.
Title 29: Labor
PART 1915—OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS FOR SHIPYARD EMPLOYMENT
Subpart I—Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
§ 1915.153 Eye and face protection.
Table I-1_Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minimum Operations Electrode size \1/32\ in. Arc current protective shade----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Shielded metal arc welding............... Less than 3................ Less than.................. 7 3-5........................ 60......................... 8 5-8........................ 60-160..................... 10 More than 8................ 160-250.................... 11 ........................... 250-550.................... ...........Gas metal arc welding and flux cored arc ........................... Less than.................. 7 welding. ........................... 60......................... 10 ........................... 60-160..................... 10 ........................... 160-250.................... 10 ........................... 250-500.................... ...........Gas Tungsten arc welding................. ........................... Less than.................. 8 ........................... 50......................... 8 ........................... 50-150..................... 10 ........................... 150-500.................... ...........Air carbon............................... (Light).................... Less than.................. 10Arc cutting.............................. (Heavy).................... 500........................ 11 500-1000................... ...........Plasma arc welding....................... ........................... Less than.................. 6 ........................... 20......................... 8 ........................... 20-........................ 10 ........................... 100........................ 11 ........................... 100-....................... ........... ........................... 400........................ ........... ........................... 400-....................... ........... ........................... 800........................ ...........Plasma arc cutting....................... (light)**.................. Less than 300.............. 8 (medium)**................. 300-400.................... 9 (heavy)**.................. 400-800.................... 10Torch brazing............................ ........................... ........................... 3Torch soldering.......................... ........................... ........................... 2Carbon Arc welding....................... ........................... ........................... 14----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------** These values apply where the actual arc is clearly seen. Lighter filters may be used when the arc is hidden by the workpiece.
Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Minimum* Operations Plate thickness_inches Plate thickness_mm protective 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.................. 6Oxygen 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.
