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Watch What You Wear

Studies show that only 60 percent of the 20 million employees required to wear eye and face protection actually comply. The consequence to this is an increase in eye injuries and their associated human and economic costs. Here is some of the newest PPE available to address this lack of protection.

Posted: January 30, 2015

Conqueror® MAG from Gateway Safety is bifocal safety eyewear that is ideal product for those who have trouble focusing on small things close up, such as blueprints and schematics, small parts, machine tool equipment settings, cutting tools and more.

Parallax™ safety eyewear from Gateway Safety uses a patented temple design for superior comfort for all-day wear, with a single, large, wrap-around lens for exceptional protective coverage and an integrated brow guard that protects against debris from above.

GirlzGear | Parallax safety eyewear from Gateway Safety is available in two different pink options: one with a pink temple flex and clear lens, and another with a pink mirror lens and a gray temple flex. GirlzGear is a popular assembly of protective wear designed to help female workers who struggle with improperly fitting safety equipment, such as eyewear that slips off or pinches.

Kleen View Lens Cleaning products from Gateway Safety use a fast-drying, silicone-free formula that actually includes an anti-fog, anti-static ingredient to help extend the life of safety glasses.

Howard Leight FirmFit earplugs from Honeywell Safety are significantly more comfortable, provide more effective hearing protection, and exert less pressure in the ear canal than most older foam models that workers have used for years.

Conspire and Relentless protective eyewear from Honeywell Safety both feature the exclusive North Signature Fit profile that comfortably fits at least 85 percent of wearers right out of the box without the need for advanced adjustments. Their combined protective qualifications, lightweight design and adjustment-free fit deliver extreme value to safety managers by simplifying the safety eyewear purchasing process.

Uvex Instinct safety eyewear from Honeywell Safety combines military-grade impact resistance, market-leading lens coatings and premium adjustability to protect workers in virtually any environment, with advanced Supra-Dura™ anti-scratch coating that lasts five times longer than competing coatings, extending lens life in rugged, high-particulate environments.

Uvex Tirade™ sealed eyewear from Honeywell is designed to provide protection in high particulate environments where dust, dirt and debris present the risk of eye injury. The large unilens design offers a wide field of unobstructed peripheral vision while its soft foam subframe ensures a comfortable, gap-free fit.

Uvex Hypershock safety eyewear from Honeywell Safety delivers the good looks workers want and the high performance protection safety managers demand. The only challenge will be keeping workers from wearing them when they aren’t on the jobsite.

The AX5100 seamless machine knit glove from Magid is perfect for handling extremely sharp-edged materials and is ideally suited for industries such as appliance and automotive manufacturing, glass handling, metal handling, metal fabrication and metal stamping.

GPD780 HPPE Work Gloves from Magid use a NitriX Grip sandy nitrile palm coating to channel away oils and liquids and offer a solid grip in both wet and dry applications.

Add to the comfort and style its ultra-light weight, and workers will forget that they’re wearing protective eyewear. But make no mistake: this is, first and foremost, durable eye protection. It is independently certified by Underwriters Laboratories to meet ANSI Z87.1+ and CSA Z94.3 standards. The Temple Technology eyewear line also includes Flight safety eyewear, a revolutionary design with unique, patented temple “wings” to cushion the head and relieve pressure.

In most work environments, safety glasses have a way of getting dusty, dirty, and smudged. Frequently, employees just use a t-shirt or face tissue to clean their protective eyewear. There’s a problem with that method of cleaning. The worker is actually wiping off the anti-scratch and anti-fog coatings that were originally applied to the surface of the lens during the manufacturing process. An excellent solution to this problem is the improved line of Kleen View® Lens Cleaning products. Kleen View lens cleaning products feature a fast-drying, silicone-free formula that actually includes an anti-fog, anti-static ingredient that helps extend the life of safety glasses. Workers love the functionality of the anti-fog coating and the dust- and dirt resistance gained from the anti-static coating, while employers love the cost savings associated with longer-lasting safety products.

Kleen View Lens Cleaning products are safe to use on any Gateway Safety eye- or face-protection product. Kleen View is available as a spray solution packaged with soft, non-abrasive tissues or as convenient single-use towelettes for quick lens cleaning.

Gateway Safety, Inc., 11111 Memphis Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44144, 800-822-5347; Fax: 216-889-1200, www.GatewaySafety.com.

COMFORTABLE EARPLUGS AND EYEWEAR MAXIMIZE PROTECTION
Howard Leight FirmFit™ earplugs from Honeywell Safety Products USA (Smithfield, RI) feature a softer, more comfortable fit and better noise protection than most leading classic-style foam earplugs. A welcome advance in classic-style foam earplugs, FirmFit was engineered to enhance the wearing experience for individuals who prefer a firmer fit in order to “feel” their earplugs in their ears and who are accustomed to the familiar cylindrical or barrel-shaped earplug.

These earplugs are significantly more comfortable, provide more effective hearing protection, and exert less pressure in the ear canal than most older foam models that workers have used for years. The bottom line is this: The more comfortable the earplug, the longer workers will wear it. That’s more protection for employees — and greater compliance for safety managers — a win-win for everyone. Independent lab tests revealed that the FirmFit earplugs are 40 percent softer with 29 percent lower expansion pressure than most leading classic-style earplugs. FirmFit earplugs provide effective 30 NRR dB hearing protection and are easy to roll down and insert, with plenty of time to adjust for a proper fit; bright orange in color for high-visibility identification; and available in corded and uncorded versions.

Conspire and Relentless protective eyewear both feature the exclusive North Signature Fit profile, specially designed to comfortably fit at least 85 percent of wearers right out of the box without the need for advanced adjustments. Given their combined protective qualifications, lightweight design and adjustment-free fit, Conspire and Relentless deliver extreme value to safety managers by simplifying the safety eyewear purchasing process.

These eyewear styles are designed based on years of anthropomorphic research in facial dimensions. Their uniquely shaped and padded nosepieces and flexible temples are proven to provide the most comfortable fit across the widest range of facial profiles. That means grab-and-go convenience and unparalleled protection for safety managers and the workers they serve.

The North Conspire Series of safety eyewear features the exclusive North Signature Fit profile to ensure a simple, adjustment-free fit for the widest range of faces. Its lightweight, full-wrap design includes an eight-base, single front with dual lenses for unparalleled protection plus a shaped nosepiece and flexible temples for superb comfort. Conspire contains no metal parts for safe dielectric use. Lens tint options include Clear, TSR Gray, Amber, Silver Mirror, and Indoor/Outdoor Silver Mirror for use in nearly any lighting environment.

Fog-Ban® anti-fog lenses are available in Clear and TSR Gray tints to provide optimal visual clarity in hot and humid environments. Conspire provides 99.9 percent ultraviolet protection and is certified to meet both the ANSI Z87.1+ standard for high-impact protection and the CSA Z94.3 standards.

The North Relentless Series also features North Signature Fit in a lightweight design that offers all-day, adjustment-free comfort. This style’s eight-base polycarbonate lens and frame system offers wraparound protection while carefully shaped and padded nosepiece and temples maximize comfort. The dielectric style is safe for use in environments with electrical hazards. Five lens tint options including Clear, TSR Gray, Amber, Silver Mirror and Indoor/Outdoor Silver Mirror with anti-scratch hardcoat address the needs of most work environments, and Fog-Ban coating is available on Clear and TSR Gray lenses. Relentless eyewear provides 99.9 percent ultraviolet protection and is certified to the requirements of the ANSI Z87.1-2010 and CSA Z94.3 standards. The North Conspire and Relentless series of safety eyewear are available now through major safety equipment distributors in the Americas.