In this episode Terry Gorman, 3M’s Occupational Hygienist for the Personal Safety Division in Australia and New Zealand joins us to discuss eye & face protection.

When it comes to personal protective equipment, eye & face protection refers to safety gear that shields the delicate eyes and face from the wide range of hazards that may impact them on any given shift. Ranging from dust, sparks, heat, chemicals, flying or falling objects, every workplace has its own inherent risks.

Guest Bio:

Terry Gorman (pictured left) is a Certified Occupational Hygienist who has been involved in workplace safety for nearly 30 years. He has worked for 3M Australia and New Zealand in the Personal Safety Division for 18 years.

Terry is a current member of the Australian/New Zealand Standard Committees responsible for respiratory protection (AS/NZS 1715 & 1716) as well as the Eye/Face Protection Standards Committee (AS/NZS 1337 & 1338).

He currently represents Standards Australia on the International Standards Organisation (ISO) Committee TC94/SC15, a team of international specialists creating a set of global respiratory standards.

LinkedIn Profile

In this episode, Mark & Terry discuss the following:

• When it comes to identifying hazards relating to eye and face injuries, what should workplaces be looking at?
• What controls could workplaces consider before considering eye and face PPE?
• What other factors should be considered when it comes to selecting eye and face protection?
• There are a wide range of potential hazards when it comes to eye and face, what types of tests are these products put through?
• Can you have high impact safety glasses?
• Can you pick up any pair of glasses, goggles or face shield and know if it meets the Australian and New Zealand standard?
• You can get a wide range of safety glasses lens, what are some of these and the applications they are ideal for?
• What eye and face protection are suitable for protection against ultraviolet and infrared radiation?
• What about laser eye protection?
• How do workplaces address the fogging of safety glasses issue?
• Any tips you can offer our listeners around care and maintenance for eye and face protectors?
• Where can listeners go to get further information on Head, Eye & Face protection?

Eye and face injuries are quite common in industry and can be quite catastrophic when they occur, potentially causing permanent damage and scarring. Whether it be goggles, face shields or welding shields, how do we make the right choice and what are the factors that need to be considered? Different types of hazards require varying kinds of protection, and there is more to this topic than meets the eye. Tune in as we look at the issue of eye and face protection, how to assess it, and how to apply appropriate PPE for optimal fit, performance and worker safety.

Additional Resources:

• Podcast Transcript
• SafeWork Australia – PPE
• WorkSafe NZ – PPE
• WorkSafe NZ – Protecting your Workers Eyes
• 3M Head & Face Protection

Contact a 3M Safety Specialist at scienceofsafetyanz@mmm.com for more information.