Appendix L
UW-Stout Laboratory Eye Protection Policy
Safety glasses (at a minimum) are required to be worn by students, faculty, employees, and visitors in all
research laboratories and laboratory prep areas (except office areas) at all times whenever anyone
in the area is working with a chemical or biological agent. They are also the minimum protection required
when working with processes that could potentially involve shattering or other flying glass (e.g., vacuum
operations and centrifuging).
Eye protection is not required in classroom laboratories as long as all chemicals and biological agents
are stored and/or securely capped (e.g., protective eyewear is not required if chemicals in a fume hood
are securely capped and are not opened during the class). If anyone in a classroom lab is working with a
chemical or biological agent, all people in the lab must don appropriate eye protection. Safety glasses at
a minimum must also be worn when working with processes that could potentially involve shattering or
other flying glass.
See Table L-1 for laboratory designations in Jarvis Science Wing and Addition and Heritage Hall.
Researchers, lab technicians and instructors should assess the risk associated with the work they will be
performing and use the appropriate level of eye protection (refer to guidance below):

Safety glasses with side shields provide minimal chemical protection and protection to the eyes
from glass or other impact hazards but do not prevent chemicals from bypassing the protection
or protect the face.

Chemical splash goggles with indirect or no ventilation are required when splash is a possibility,
or when working with materials that have special hazards. Splash goggles must be worn when:

o
Working with explosives (including peroxides)
o
Performing pressurized reactions
o
Working with liquid pyrophorics
o
Working with chemicals that react violently with water
o
Working with highly reactive or corrosive liquids (e.g., sodium hydroxide or hydrochloric acid
greater than 0.01M, solutions of bromine or iodine, acid chlorides, hydrogen peroxide)
o
Transferring liquid nitrogen or helium in quantities greater than 100 milliliters
o
Pouring solvents or waste solutions in quantities greater than 4 liters
o
Working with chemicals heated to more than 60°C
Experiments that pose a severe risk of eye damage or risk of damage to the face (e.g., work
with explosives or pressurized reactions) may require extra precautions such as a full face shield
in addition to chemical splash goggles, and the potential hazards may also require that the
experiment be conducted in a fume hood or biosafety cabinet with the sash lowered as far as
possible. Face shields are not designed for eye protection in and of themselves and must always
be worn with safety glasses or chemical splash goggles.

The use of laser or ultraviolet light sources requires special glasses or goggles with filter lenses
that have a shade number appropriate for the work being performed. Consult the Chemical
Hygiene Officer for assistance in choosing the correct eyewear.
Anyone within 10 feet of someone performing work that requires more protective eyewear than safety
glasses must also don the more protective eyewear.
Use of a fume hood or biosafety cabinet is not a substitute for eye protection.
All protective eyewear must meet the ANSI Z87.1 design standard. Check for a ‘Z87’ marking somewhere
on the eye protection to ensure compliance. Ordinary prescription glasses generally do not meet ANSI
Z87.1 standards and therefore do not provide adequate protection against injury. University employees
can obtain prescription safety glasses and goggles through the Department of Safety and Risk
Management using the requestor’s departmental funds.
Contact lenses may be worn under other appropriate eye protection. If chemicals or biological agents do
get in the eyes of someone wearing contact lenses, the lenses should be removed while flushing with
water from an eyewash station. There are situations when contact lens use should be avoided including
exposure to intense heat, molten metals, highly particulate environment and certain chemicals.
Safety and Risk Management can assist with ordering prescription safety glasses and goggles.
Responsibilities

The employee’s supervisor is responsible for ensuring appropriate eye protection is provided at
no cost to employee based on an assessment of exposure hazards. Eye protection should be
personally assigned for individual employee use whenever possible. If eye protection is shared,
the supervisor shall ensure eye protective devices are cleaned and disinfected prior to being
used by a different individual.

University departments with instructional and/or research laboratories shall determine what type
of eye protection is required for students enrolled in each instructional lab and for students
conducting research in University laboratories. Eye protection requirements will be
communicated to students no later than the first class period or first day of research. Only
Department-approved eye protection is allowed.

Departments may require students to purchase appropriate eye protection. Departments that
elect to provide students with appropriate eye protection for select experiments are responsible
for ensuring eye protective devices are cleaned and disinfected prior to being used by a different
individual.

Laboratory supervisors shall ensure that employees and students working within his/her
laboratory wear appropriate eye protection for the task being performed and shall ensure that
employees and/or students who are not wearing the correct eye protection are removed from
the laboratory until eye protection is available and they are able to comply.

Students enrolled in laboratory courses and/or conducting research in University laboratories
shall purchase appropriate eye protection as directed by the laboratory instructor or research
supervisor, shall wear appropriate eye protection when working in the laboratory as required
and shall comply with supervisor/laboratory instructor instructions.
Types of Eye Protection

Safety glasses (referred to as spectacles in ANSI Z87.1) look very much like normal glasses
but have lenses that are impact resistant and frames that are much stronger than standard
prescription glasses. Safety glasses must have side shields or a wrap-around design and
shall be worn whenever there is a possibility of objects striking the eye, such as particles, glass
or metal shards. Safety glasses may not provide adequate protection from chemical splashes
because they do not seal to the face.

Goggles are protective devices designed to fit snugly but not necessarily seal completely to
wearer’s face. Goggles are commonly available in two styles:
o
Eyecup goggles that cover eye sockets completely
o
Cover goggles, which may be designed to be worn over spectacles
Three types of ventilation are available
o
Direct ventilation (“impact”) goggles permit the direct passage of air from the work
environment into the goggle. Direct ventilation goggles should not be used for protection
against liquid splash hazards.
o
Indirect ventilated goggles permit the passage of air and may prevent the direct passage of
liquid and/or optical radiation.
o
Goggles with no ventilation minimize passage of dusts, mists, liquid splash and vapor.

Face shields are protective devices designed to shield the wearer’s face, or portions thereof, in
addition to the eyes, from various hazards. Face shields are in order when working with large
volumes of hazardous materials, either for protection from splash to the face or flying particles.
Face shields must be used in conjunction with safety glasses or goggles. Face shields
are not a substitute for safety glasses or goggles.

Prescription eyewear is not a substitute for appropriate eye protection. Wearers of prescription
eyewear shall wear eye protection that incorporates the prescription in its design or that can be
worn over prescription lenses without disrupting either the prescription eyewear or the
protective eyewear.
Table L-1: Jarvis Science Wing and Addition and Heritage Hall Laboratory Designations
Research Laboratories
JHSWA
020
030 (except office area)
145
147
251
257
260
347
351
357
366
Classroom Laboratories
JHSWA
141
157
247
250
254
266
267
350
354
360
367
Laboratory Prep Areas
JHSWA
143 (except 143D)
249
252
264
349 (except 349B)
352
HERH
132
249
371
JHSW
101
105
116
137
HERH
230
232
238
240
244
HERH
248
Eye protection is NOT required in the following areas:
JHSWA
JHSW
HERH
030 (office area)
118
242
143D
130
242A
349B
132
132A
133
135