Are Oakley Sunglasses ANSI Approved?

ANSI, or the American National Standard Institute, is a private, non-profit organization first established (as the American Engineering Standards Committee) in 1918.

Are Oakley Sunglasses ANSI Approved?

ANSI sets specific standards for evaluating eyewear factors such as impact resistance, lens thickness, projectile penetration, and optical quality. Because of this, ANSI ratings have become the safety eyewear industry standard.

Almost all models of Oakley sunglasses meet or exceed the ANSI Z87.1 standard for optical clarity and impact resistance. To be sure your particular model complies, check the product description for exact specifications. Just be aware that although Oakleys are designed to ANSI Z87.1 requirements (or better), they are not officially rated for OSHA standards.

What is OSHA?

OSHA, or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, is an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor. OSHA stipulates Federally-regulated requirements to which employers must comply in order to legally protect the vision safety of their employees. These standards obligate employers to enforce the use of appropriate eye or face protection when employees are exposed to hazardous materials, liquids, vapors, chemicals, or other harmful substances. OSHA standards provide specific requirements for such protection allowed in the workplace.

However, any ANSI-compliant Oakley sunglasses will also comply with OSHA requirements, since OSHA claims ANSI Z87.1 as the benchmark standard for occupational eye and face protection. One of OSHA’s declarative sections states the following:

“Protective eye and face devices purchased after July 5, 1994, shall comply with ANSI Z87.1-1989, ‘American National Standard Practice for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection,’ which is incorporated by reference as specified in Sec. 1910.6.www.osha.gov ANSI Z87.1.”

In plain English, this means that the ANSI standard has been deemed by OSHA to be the higher one, and the one to which OSHA must comply. So although Oakley sunglasses do not carry any specific OSHA ratings, any ANSI-rated Oakley models will meet the OSHA requirement. If you’re considering Oakley sunglasses for on-the-job safety use, be sure to research the ANSI rating of your specific model. There’s a good chance that your Oakleys already comply, but you or your employer are obligated to confirm the safety rating before approval can be granted.