While the Australian Standards do not indicate a specific replacement schedule for protective eyewear, at some point, your safety glasses will need to be replaced. This is especially true if you are in a job that is hazardous or particularly hard on your PPE.
Whether from normal wear and tear, or from damage or poor treatment, here are the top five signs that it’s time to replace your safety glasses.
- Your Safety Glasses Are Outdated - When something is outdated, it does not only mean that it has gone out of style; it also means that the functionality of the product is not where it should be at. Just as certain technology can become outdated, so too can safety glasses. If your safety glasses are more than three years old, there is a high possibility that they lack some key features that will both improve your visibility when wearing them and maximise the protection of your eyes. If you think that you may be wearing outdated safety glasses, do a little online shopping and check out the list of features that current safety glasses have to offer. If your current safety glasses seem to lack many of the key features you see listed, it is a sign that it’s time for you to invest in a new pair.
- You have recently changed jobs or increased your responsibilities to include new tasks - Selecting the right protective eyewear is a thorough process with multiple factors to consider such as the characteristics of the wearer, task and environment. In other words, you can’t just simply use any old pair of safety glasses and assume they’ll do. Any changes to your work environment or tasks may require a new pair. The wrong protective eyewear could increase your risk of an injury, so if you recently changed your job or if you are assigned to do a few extra jobs around the site, ensure your safety glasses can adequately protect you from all the hazards.
- There are noticeable scratches on your specs - Even the highest quality safety glasses will be subject to a few scratches when they have been used for an extended period of time. While it’s not a problem to find a pair of scratch-resistant safety glasses, you will eventually need to replace your glasses when scratches start to pop up. When you don’t address scratched lenses and either have the lenses replaced or your safety glasses swapped out entirely for a new pair, it will compromise your visibility and potentially put your safety at serious risk.
- You catch yourself squinting – If you notice that you are habitually squinting while wearing your safety glasses, even if you don’t have a prescription in your lenses, it may be time to get new safety glasses. You may catch yourself squinting because the lenses are no longer offering the highest level of clarity and sharp vision. When your safety glasses become older, the lenses and the special coatings on them begin to wear away, thus making it more difficult for you to see clearly.
- Your prescription changes - This is for everyone who uses prescription safety eyewear. Once your prescription is updated, you need to get a new pair of safety glasses. No excuses. And if you’re not having regular eye checks, then it is recommended that you should probably start going again, especially if you’ve noticed yourself squinting or getting headaches. Being unable to see clearly is not going to help you stay safe.
Do you have any questions about safety glasses? Or do you need help buying a new pair of safety glasses for your work or recreational activities? Don’t hesitate to contact Southland today. We are happy to introduce you to a wide selection of safety glasses that we have to offer. Find out more by visiting our website at https://www.southland.com.au/