Date: June 29, 2016

To: Phil Silverman Department of Chemistry

From: Dennis Elmore, MPH CIH CSP Manager, Laboratory Safety

RE: Goggles are Minimum Mandatory Eye Protection In Undergraduate Chemistry Laboratories

University Policy (MU BPPM §7:030) and Missouri State Law (RsMO §170.005.1) require protective eyewear be worn when hazards are present in the laboratory. Eyewear must be selected in accordance with Annex J of the American National Standard for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection (ANSI Z87.1-2015).

Annex J of the Standard contains the Eye and Face Protection Selection Tool, published by the International Safety Equipment Association. The Selection Tool requires that “goggles with indirect ventilation” be used any time there is a potential for splash, droplets, or sprays of liquid chemicals.

Over the past few years, EHS has received reports where students were splashed in the eye(s) despite the fact they were wearing impact glasses (AKA “safety glasses”). This is not surprising because impact glasses are intended to protect against “flying fragments, objects, large chips, particles, sand, dirt, etc. Students may not select or use impact glasses in undergraduate Chemistry laboratories at MU as they are not adequately protective against liquid splashes.

Unfortunately, this can be confusing because most impact glasses are marked “ANSI approved”. In this case, ANSI approval simply means the glasses are approved for flying fragments. Below, I have included illustrations that clearly distinguish chemical goggles from impact glasses.

Thank you for working with EHS on this important safety initiative. Please contact me if you have any questions or comments.

Chemical Splash Goggles

APPROVED FOR USE

Impact Glasses

NOT APPROVED