What welding goggles?
During welding work, eye protection is an indispensable part of personal protective equipment. Depending on the field of activity, different safety glasses are used. The classification of the goggles shows for which field of application the goggles are suitable.
Reliable eye protection and special markings
Safety goggles for welding must meet certain requirements. These are indicated by the different standards. The central standard is the directive EN 166 “Personal eye protection – Requirements”, which defines the basic classes for eye protection. During welding, eye protection is particularly important, as external influences can often cause irreparable damage to the eyesight.
In order to protect the eyes from flying parts and UV radiation, which can cause severe conjunctival burns, all welding goggles must meet the special requirements of the respective safety commity and must also be certified by an independent testing institute. In order to prevent glowing parts or sparks from damaging the eyes during welding, specially tinted protective glasses are required for oxyacetylene welding so that the welding environment can be observed without glare.
Special safety glasses for arc welding
For arc welding, welding goggles must be used that have protective lenses that shield both ultraviolet and infrared radiation. The protection classes for these glasses are defined in the EU standard EN 169. Protection classes 2 to 8 are provided for oxyacetylene welding and classes 9 to 16 for open arc welding. The protective glasses bear a label by which the properties of the glass are classified. The information is as follows: Protection class, manufacturer abbreviation, optical class 98, DIN standard.
Safety goggles must comply with the strict EU guidelines
When buying welding goggles, you should always make sure that the goggles comply with the standards for occupational health and safety. These are:
- DIN EN 166 – states general requirements Eye protectionDIN EN 170 – Ultraviolet protection filtersDIN EN 171 – Infrared protection filtersDIN EN 175 – Welding protectionDIN EN 169 – Welding
Proper maintenance
Welding goggles should always be properly maintained and protected from abrasive products and direct sunlight. In order to have an optimum of free visibility during welding, the goggles should be provided with a special anti-fog and anti-scratch coating. Special welding goggles are now also available for wearers of prescription glasses.