All the better to see you with

Personal protective equipment has become part of most employees’ daily lives. CLAIRE RENCKEN takes a closer look at protective eyewear and some of the latest and best options that are readily available, affordable, and most importantly, effective.

Honeywell Safety Products (HSP), a leading global personal protective equipment (PPE) manufacturer, has launched a new product – the adjustable Honeywell Adaptec protective eyewear system – which can be worn by a wide range of workers regardless of gender, ethnicity, or facial features.

Honywell Adaptec eyewear delivers maximum protection, premium optics, superior all-day comfort and customised adjustability, combined with styling that drives worker acceptance and compliance.

Christine Mello, senior product manager for HSP eyewear products says: “Today’s workforce is more diverse than ever before, which presents a challenge for safety managers who are responsible for selecting protective eyewear that meets these varied eye protection needs. We’ve found that it is not unusual for a company to carry five or more styles, which can be both complicated and expensive.”

She adds: “The Adaptec protective eyewear system addresses the eye safety needs of a diverse workforce with one style that offers an unprecedented level of adjustability, to fit the greatest number of workers, thereby alleviating some of the challenges faced by safety managers today.”

As part of the Adaptec development process, Honeywell Research and Development conducted a landmark study that combined extensive anthropometric research with Voice of the Customer research at eighteen companies in the United States, Canada and Europe.

The anthropometric research, or study of physical variations in a human population, included the use of 3-D facial scans to determine and confirm relationships between the sizes and the shapes of heads, faces, eyes, noses and ears.

The studies yielded three groups with similar facial characteristics. The characteristic of these groupings drove the design of the Honeywell Adaptec eyewear and became the basis for the regular, narrow and wide size designations.

The research also showed that different facial features require customised adjustability. To address this need, the Adaptec protective eyewear system features an adjustable nose bridge, self-adjusting nose pads, adjustable lens angle and a patent-pending temple-tension adjustment.

The unique Adaptec three-position nose bridge positions the eyes in the centre of the lens, assuring optical clarity and maximum coverage. This proper lens position helps reduce eye strain and fatigue, allowing the wearer to see more clearly and work more comfortably for longer periods of time.

Constructed of soft, flexible material, each Adaptec self-adjusting nose pad independently adapts to the user’s face, delivering greater comfort, superior contact and enhanced stability.

The Adaptec temple hinges ratchet to seven positions, providing the wearer with 30o of custom adjustability. This adjustment ensures a proper lens angle, which leads to maximum eye protection, ideal space for air circulation and reduced fogging.

Protective eyewear is a vital component of PPE. It protects employees’ eyes from injuries due to flying objects, sparks during hot work, dust and sun glare, and in the event of a casualty, it can also protect the injured person’s eyes. During a rescue operation, the use of remote rescue equipment can leave the person’s eyes exposed to injuries.