Safety Eyewear Answers
Straight answers about safety eyewear: what the Z87 marking means, when a jobsite needs it, anti-fog, prescription options, and fit. Sourced from ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 and OSHA, scoped to what each product actually states.
Definition: what "Z87" means
ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020 is the American National Standard for occupational and educational personal eye and face protection. Eyewear made to meet it carries a Z87 marking for basic impact or a Z87+ marking for high impact. The marking sits on the frame and the lens. For the full breakdown of how Z87 testing differs from fashion sunglasses, read Z87 vs regular sunglasses.
What is the difference between Z87 and Z87+?
A lens marked Z87 meets the basic impact requirement of the standard. A lens marked Z87+ has also passed two high-impact tests that fashion sunglasses are never required to pass: a high-mass test (a pointed projectile of about 500 grams dropped from 127 cm onto the lens) and a high-velocity test (a quarter-inch steel ball fired at the lens). Both must pass for the Z87+ mark.
Which of your glasses are Z87 rated?
The frames that carry a Z87 or Z87+ marking are the rated ones, and the marking appears on the frame and lens. The rated frames are grouped in our Safety Glasses collection and the Z87 Safety Sunglasses collection. Not every frame we carry is a safety frame, so check the product page for the marking.
Do I need safety glasses, or will regular sunglasses do?
It depends on the hazard. OSHA requires eye protection where there is a reasonable chance of injury from flying particles or objects, and it points to ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 as the standard that eyewear should meet. Regular sunglasses are built to shade and are not tested against Z87.1, so on a bay floor or a jobsite with impact hazards they are not a substitute. Away from those hazards, regular sunglasses are fine.
How do I know eyewear meets the safety standard?
Look for the Z87 or Z87+ marking on the frame and lens. That marking indicates the eyewear is made to meet ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020, the American National Standard for occupational eye and face protection published by the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) and approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). OSHA references this standard for workplace eye protection.
What does the anti-fog coating do?
An anti-fog coating is applied to the lens to reduce fogging when a warm face meets cooler air or humidity, which is common moving between a bay and outdoors. Not every frame we carry has it, so check the product page to see whether a given model is anti-fog coated.
Can I get prescription safety glasses?
Yes. We run a prescription safety eyewear program built for tire technicians and crews, so a worker who needs a prescription can still wear rated safety eyewear on the floor. The program page walks through how it works: corporate prescription safety eyewear program.
How do I find a frame that fits?
Two tools help. The virtual try-on lets you see frames on your own face, and find your fit measures your face width so the try-on can flag frames sized for you.
Do your sunglasses block UV?
It depends on the lens. UV protection varies by model, and the lens on each product page states its protection where the manufacturer specifies it. Our UV guide explains what the ratings mean and what to look for.