safety glasses

[Luis28]

can i use sports glasses as safety glasses. I use the Liberty Sport Torque ll.

[Moneybaggs111]

I dont see why not. I'm pretty sure that the officals just want some kind of eye protection for your safety. I would say bring them and ask a safety advisor at your competition(s).

[bigbeezy]

if they are dark or reflective then no. i dont remember exactly but i think the only color is amber. id suggest bring them but have another clear pair that you like so your not stuck with the competition-issued glasses.

[AndyB]

Section 3.

3.3.3 Teams Must Supply, Bring, and Wear Safety Glasses
For each competition, FIRST requires all teams to bring and supply ANSI-approved safety glasses for all its team members, mentors, and guests since all individuals must wear them in the team pits, the general pit area, and on or near the competition field. FIRST recommends that teams to mark each pair of glasses with its team number.

Safety glasses must be non-shaded, except for rose, blue, or amber tints. Regular glasses do not qualify as safety glasses. Goggles are not required over glasses only if the glasses are ANSI-approved with side shields.

[Kims Robot]

If these are the glasses you are referring to, then I would be wary of if they are technically Amber tint or not. I think they are going to be considered shaded based on what happened to us last year.

These were our glasses last year. We knew it might be risky but we spoke with the vendor and they told us that they were indoor/outdoor lenses, and are NOT a tint, so we thought we were ok. We do a lot of outdoor summer demos and were worried about the glare on the field last year, so we thought they would be a good choice for our team. We won the safety award in Philly wearing them, but then were told they were illegal by half the UL staff in Atlanta.

So if you glasses are NOT an amber tint, or one of the tints listed, I would bring another pair at least to Atlanta. It might not be as obvious if you don't have a whole team wearing them, but we were definitely told ours weren't legal, so we just got the clear lens version of those this year.

[NorviewsVeteran]

Paintball masks aren't safety goggles. Trust me.

[Carol]

I think the key section is the phrase "ANSI-approved safety glasses" in the manual. Regular safety glasses, such as the prescription ones we get at work, are marked with a Z stamp indicating the ANSI rating - usually Z87.1. If you can show the safety inspection a similar stamp on your sports glasses, or perhaps in the case it came in, then they should be okay.

see http://www.visionrx.com/library/enc/enc_ansi.asp

ANSI ratings are used just in the US though. I'm sure there are equivalent organizations overseas that rate impact strength as well.

Tint is a different issue.

[GaryVoshol]

What's the difference between tinted and shaded?

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by GaryVoshol

What's the difference between tinted and shaded?

Tinted means it has color. Shaded means it cuts down the amount of light going through. There's a problem applying that distinction cleanly, as any tint necessarily reduces the light. I'd have to assume that any shading that isn't one of the explicitly permitted tints will be deemed unacceptable, and that "heavily" or "obviously" shaded tints will be rejected as well.

[MrForbes]

Sports glasses are not likely to be ANSI rated. I suggest using industrial sources for buying glasses, not sports sources (exception: shooting glasses)

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by squirrel

(exception: shooting glasses)

Glasses can shoot?

Harbor Freight has good, comfortable and non0distorting ANSI safety glasses, with a cord to keep them around your neck, for under $6. You will not mind wearing them all day for weeks at a time. Honest.

I spent $300 on prescription safety glasses. The optician was skeptical, but got them for me anyway. Worth every penny, especially since the side shields can be detached, and then they look kinda sorta like regular glasses.

If you are considering anything that is not specifically ANSI approved, forget it. If you want glasses that are dark, forget it. A pale pink, blue or amber tint is all you can get. I recommend clear, they work better.