1915.153(a)

General requirements.

1915.153(a)(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.

1915.153(a)(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.

1915.153(a)(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.

..1915.153(a)(4)

1915.153(a)(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, Sec. 1915.153.

 Table I-1.-- Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy

____________________________________________________________________
                       |                |              |  Minimum
   Operations          |   Electrode    |      Arc     | protective
                       |  size 1/32 in. |     current  |    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     |                |              |
welding.               | ...............| Less than....|       7
                       |                |              |
                       | ...............| 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....|      10
Arc 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......|      10
Torch brazing...........| ...............| .............|       3
Torch soldering.........| ...............| .............|       2
Carbon 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

____________________________________________________________________
                       |                |              |
    Operations         |     Plate      |   Plate      |  Minimum*
                       |  thickness --  | thickness -- | protective
                       |    inches      |    mm        |  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....|       6
Oxygen 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.

1915.153(b)

Criteria for Protective Eye and Face Devices

1915.153(b)(1)

Protective eye and face devices purchased after (insert effective date of final rule) 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 Sec. 1915.5, or shall be demonstrated by the employer to be equally effective.

1915.153(b)(2)

Eye and face protective devices purchased before (insert effective date of final rule) 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 Sec. 1915.5, or shall be demonstrated by the employer to be equally effective.

[61 FR 26321, May 24, 1996]