ANSI Z87.1

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) coordinates the development and use of voluntary consensus standards in the United States and represents the needs and views of U.S. stakeholders in standardization forums around the globe.

ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). ANSI is also a member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).

OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), the main U.S. federal agency charged with the enforcement of safety and health legislation, has adopted ANSI Z87.1 as its standard.

The standard was recently updated in 2003. All of our prescription safety eyewear complies with the standards as outlined in ANSI Z87.1-2003 and come included with detachable sideshields:

Scope and Purpose

The scope and purpose of the standard is laid out in section 2 and states “This standard sets forth criteria related to the description, general requirements, testing, marking, selection, care, and use of protectors to minimize or prevent injuries, from such hazards as impact, non-ionizing radiation and chemical type injuries, in occupational and educational environments including, but not limited to, machinery operations, material welding and cutting, chemical handling, and assembly operations. This standard provides minimum requirements for protectors including selection, use, and maintenance of these protectors as devices to minimize or prevent eye and face injuries.”

Frame Tests

Spectacle frames shall be capable of resisting an impact from a pointed projectile weighing 500 g (17.6oz) dropped from a height of 127cm (50.0 in). No piece shall be detached from the inner surface of any frame component, and the test lens shall retained in the frame. This test is intended to determine the capability of a protector to resist impact from relatively heavy, pointed objects traveling at low velocity.

4 samples are tested: all must pass.

Spectacle frames shall be capable of resisting impact from a 6.35mm (0.25 in) diameter steel ball traveling at a velocity of 45.7 m/s (150ft/s). No contact with the eye of the headform is permitted as a result of impact. No piece shall be detached from the inner surface of any frame component, and the test lens shall be retained in the frame. This test is intended to determine the capability of a protector to resist impact from high velocity, low mass projectiles.

2mm Polycarbonate lenses are used in the frame testing.

20 samples are tested: all must pass.

Lens Thickness

High Impact Lens Requirements
When used in a frame marked Z87-2, the lenses shall not be less than 2.0mm (0.079 in) thick. This requirement is in recognition of the thickness needed to maximize lens retention in the frame in a high velocity impact.

Lens Tests

Prescription Lenses - Drop Ball Test

High Impact Lens Requirements
High impact lenses shall be capable of resisting an impact from a 6.35mm (0.25 in) diameter steel ball traveling at a velocity of 45.7 m/s (150 ft/s). No piece shall be detached from the inner surface of the lens. In addition, the lens shall not fracture.

Lens Marking

All markings shall be permanent, legible, and placed so that interference with the vision of the wearer is minimal.

Frame Marking

Spectacle frames including the front, both temples, and removable sideshields shall be marked with the manufactures mark or symbol and “Z87-2”.

Fronts shall be marked with the A-dimension (eye size) and DBL (distance between lenses).
Temples shall be marked with their overall length.

Sideshields

The use of protectors providing side protection should be encouraged wherever practical.

Corrosion

Metal parts are boiled in a 10% aqueous solution of sodium chloride for 15 minutes. Then immersed in the same solution at room temperature, removed and allowed to dry for 24 hours. The metal parts are then rinsed in lukewarm water and allowed to dry. The function of the spectacles shall not be impaired by the corrosion.

Flammability

The front, temple, lens and removable sideshields shall not burn at a rate greater than 76mm (3 in) per minute.

Enforcement

OSHA under Regulation 29 CFR Standard 1910.132 conducts the enforcement of Personal Protective Equipment. Safety Spectacles