What does Z87 Marking stand for on Prescription Safety Glasses?

There are a lot of factors to consider when it comes to buying a pair of safety glasses. For example, there’s the style of the glasses, such as whether they’re standard fit or wraparound. There’s the shape of the lenses, and whether or not they’re polarized to keep out glare while you’re working. There’s where the lenses have pads, and how those pads rest against your face. In short, safety glasses have all the problems and trials associated with finding a comfortable pair of normal eyeglasses or sunglasses, but they have to protect your face in addition to looking good and sitting right.

Most safety glasses have a mark along the bottom of the right lens that says they’re z87 certified. The stamp of approval should be on your list of features when you shop for safety glasses. Here’s the reason why.

What Does z87 Mean on Safety Glasses?

When it comes to safety glasses, users need to know they’ve been rigorously tested, and held up to a set of industry standards. This knowledge allows wearers to be confident that their safety glasses will do their job. So workers can focus on the task at hand without worrying about whether their eyes are, in fact, protected. ANSI Z87.1-2010 is the full name of the standards used for safety glasses. Seeing that mark on one of your lenses means the pair of glasses you’re about to slip on has been tested and found satisfactory. It is, in a very real sense, a seal of approval.

Z87 and Job Requirements

While lots of people who use z87 safety glasses might not know what those characters stand for, they’re a requirement for a lot of workers. From manufacturing to lawn maintenance, these standards can mean the difference between a cracked lens, and a lost eye. However, within the broader category of z87 safety glasses, there are more specific labels that mean the glasses are geared toward a more specific task. According to OSHA, those additional labels include:

– z87+: z87 means the glasses have been tested for regular impact, while z87+ means they’ve been tested for high-impact

– D3 and D4: D3 means the glasses have been tested to resist chemical droplets, while D4 means they’ve been tested for a full splash

– D5: This means these glasses have been rated for fine dust protection

– W: means these glasses can be worn to protect the eyes while welding

– U: means the glasses are rated for protection from ultraviolet light, with a number noting the scale of the protection

– R: means the glasses are rated for protection from infrared light, with a number noting the scale of the protection

– L: means the lenses have a visible light filter, with a number noting the scale

– Z87-2: means the lenses are prescription, and it will be on both temples, as well as the front of the frame

– H: indicates the head size of the glasses, and is typically used to denote those meant for smaller heads

– V and S: V stands for photochromic lenses and S for a special lens tint

Choosing the right pair of safety glasses isn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination. It can be time-consuming and depending on the needs of the job, expensive. However, if you know all of the symbols for the different standards, then finding a pair of safety glasses that suits you, and your job becomes significantly easier. For more information on z87 standards, and what they mean for you and your job, simply contact us today.

  1. Carlos says:

    I have glasses that say rZ87+ does this mean they protect against inflared light and are high impact resistant?

    • Ryan Phillips says:

      This means it passes for High Impact protection. That does not have anything to to do with IR or uv light. That is a different Marking

  2. Jo Ann Biggs says:

    Good to know what all the symbols stand for


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