3M™ Solutions: Eyewear

Selection

The portfolio of 3M^™ Eye Protection products promises quality eyewear that provides an optimal balance of comfort, protection and design. Our engineers have worked hard to ensure that the level of comfort and style matches the standard of protection offered.

To ensure the clarity of vision provided by safety eyewear is acceptable for certain work, the refractive properties of the lens must exceed a required level. Lenses can be subdivided into three classes. Optical class 1 is for work with particularly high vision requirements for permanent use, optical class 2 is for work with average vision requirements, and optical class 3 is for rough work without any special vision requirements (intended only for exceptional cases and not for permanent use).

There are also different optical distortions that give rise to various distortion effects. There are spherical, prismatic, cylindrical and astigmatic distortions. The above-mentioned optical classes and the associated period of usage depend on the respective distortion effects. As a result, spherical distortions are allocated to optical class 1, prismatic and cylindrical distortions to optical class 2 and astigmatic distortions to optical class 3.

3M™ Eyewear selector                                       Eyewear selection poster

Fit validation

As with all personal protective equipment, comfort is very closely linked with compliance, and improperly fitted eyewear may not be enough to prevent eye injuries, so the quality and security of fit are extremely important.

While current standards (e.g., BS 7029:1999) suggest careful consideration should be given to eyewear fit, there is no specific guidance on how to evaluate an individual’s fit. Making an assessment based on size and adjustable features is not always adequate to determine best fit and security of eyewear. The innovative 3M^™ Eyewear Fit System is a simple 6 step method and enables a measured evaluation of fit.

Go to a simple six-step method                                      Video

Training

3M offers a variety of tools and software to support your workplace personal protective equipment safety training needs.

At 3M, we believe that education is key to protection. It is essential that workers and safety managers understand the risks to their health in the workplace and know how to protect against these risks in the best way. In order for them to do this, we provide a vast array of training, suited to different businesses and individual needs.

We can provide on-site training with a visit from our Safety Caravan, mobile across the EU.  Our technical service teams are also on hand to present their expert knowledge of the health and safety industry.