Although it may be tempting to use your normal sunglasses for working outdoors, they are not suitable for industrial or construction environments. Standard sunglasses are only designed for filtering light and glare—they do not offer any impact protection and are not tested to the same rigorous standards as certified safety spectacles.
Key differences include:
Impact Protection: Regular sunglasses do not meet the requirements for impact resistance. In contrast, safety spectacles marked ‘F’ have been tested to resist low energy impact (up to 45 m/s).
Durability: Sunglasses are more prone to scratching or shattering. Safety lenses marked ‘K’ offer scratch resistance and are built for tougher environments.
Optical Quality: Sunglasses are not required to meet industrial optical clarity and robustness standards. Safety spectacles must meet EN 166, ensuring safe, distortion-free vision.
UV and Sun Glare Protection: Safety eyewear marked 5-2.5 meets EN 172 (sunglare filters for industrial use), providing UV protection and effective glare reduction—something everyday sunglasses can’t guarantee to industrial standards.
For outdoor work, you should wear safety spectacles that combine sun glare protection, UV filtering, impact resistance, and optical clarity, as certified under EN 166 and EN 172.
Summary of key points:
- Regular sunglasses do not provide impact protection.
- Safety spectacles with F and K markings offer impact and scratch resistance.
- Safety lenses meet EN 166 and EN 172 for industrial use.
- Marking 5-2.5 ensures proper sun glare filtering and UV protection.
- Optical quality and durability of safety eyewear far exceed that of regular sunglasses.
If you need further support, please contact our Technical Support Team using the email: technical@jspsafety.com or contact us via our WhatsApp.