Safety Glasses
Safety glasses stop chips, dust and splash ruining your day, from grinding and cutting to drilling overhead. Get proper EN166 eye protection.
On site, it only takes one bit of swarf or a burst of grit to end the shift early. Protective safety glasses are built with impact resistant lenses, side coverage, and proper fit, so they stay put when you're grafting. Choose clear safety glasses for indoor work, tinted or smoked safety glasses for bright days, and go sealed or vented if you're dealing with heavy dust or chemical splash.
What Are Safety Glasses Used For?
- Grinding and cutting metal where hot sparks, swarf and fine dust can flick straight up under your brow if you are not in proper safety eyewear.
- Drilling overhead, chasing walls, and fixing into block or concrete when masonry dust and chips drop straight into your face without eye protection glasses.
- Woodworking, routing, and sanding where splinters and airborne dust hang in the air and you need wraparound safety glasses with side shields for proper coverage.
- Workshop and plant maintenance when you are wire brushing, using compressed air, or snapping stubborn fixings and you want impact resistant safety glasses that do not shatter or pop out.
- Chemical splash and wet trade work where sealed safety glasses or vented safety glasses help stop mist, spray and contamination getting behind the lens.
Choosing the Right Safety Glasses
Pick safety glasses like you pick gloves: match them to the risk, not what looks tidy on the shelf.
1. Lens type for the light you are working in
If you are indoors or moving room to room, clear safety glasses keep visibility sharp. If you are outside or working in glare, go tinted, smoked, or polarised safety glasses so you are not squinting and lifting them off every five minutes.
2. Coverage: side shields, wraparound, or sealed
If you are doing general drilling and fixing, safety glasses with side shields or a wraparound shape cover most site knocks. If you are in heavy dust, windy cutting, or splash risk, sealed safety glasses are the right move because gaps at the sides are where the grit gets in.
3. Anti fog and scratch resistance for real site wear
If you are in masks, warm plant rooms, or bouncing in and out of the van, anti fog safety glasses stop you constantly wiping the lens. For day to day abuse, scratch resistant or anti scratch safety glasses last longer in a pocket or tool bag, but they still need a proper case if you want them to stay clear.
4. Fit and compatibility with other PPE
If you are wearing ear defenders, helmets, or respirators, look for adjustable safety glasses with slim arms so they do not break the seal or dig in behind your ears. If you wear specs, over spec safety glasses are the quick fix, but for all day comfort, prescription safety glasses are worth sorting.
Safety Glasses FAQs
What is the difference between safety glasses and regular glasses?
Safety glasses are tested and rated as PPE, typically to EN166, for impact and coverage. Regular glasses might stop a bit of dust, but they are not built or certified to take flying debris, and they usually leave gaps at the sides.
What are safety glasses used for?
They are for protecting your eyes from impact, dust, chips and splash during drilling, cutting, grinding, sanding, and general site work. The right pair should stay comfortable and stay on your face, so you do not take them off mid task.
What's the difference between sunglasses and safety glasses?
Sunglasses are mainly for glare and UV, not impact. Tinted or smoked safety glasses are still PPE rated for site hazards and usually have better side coverage, tougher lenses, and proper markings for industrial use.
Can any glasses be safety glasses?
No. To count as PPE eye protection they need the correct safety rating and markings, and they have to be designed to protect from impact and debris. If you wear prescription lenses, look for prescription safety glasses or use over spec safety glasses that are rated, rather than hoping your normal specs will do.
Do anti fog safety glasses actually work on site?
They do, but only if you keep the lenses clean and do not wipe them with a dusty sleeve. Anti fog coatings help most when you are wearing a mask or working in damp areas, but if you are in heavy sweat and temperature changes, sealed goggles can still be the better option.
Who Uses Safety Glasses on Site?
- Steelworkers, fabricators, mechanics and fitters who are grinding, cutting and drilling all day and need industrial safety glasses that take repeated knocks.
- Brickies, sparkies and chippies doing first fix, drilling anchors, and chasing runs who keep clear safety glasses in the toolbox for quick, constant PPE eye protection.
- Decorators, joiners and maintenance teams sanding, scraping and snagging who want lightweight safety glasses that stay comfortable for long shifts.
- Site managers and supervisors who need professional safety glasses for walkabouts, especially when moving through active cutting and drilling areas.
The Basics: Understanding Safety Glasses Ratings
Safety eyewear is not just "tough plastic". The rating tells you what it is built to stop and where it is safe to use. Here is what matters when you are buying EN166 safety glasses.
1. EN166 marking (Your baseline for PPE eye protection)
EN166 safety glasses are tested for impact and optical quality, so they are made for work, not fashion. If it is not marked to the right standard, do not rely on it for construction, workshop, or industrial use.
2. Impact resistance (What actually stops the hit)
Impact resistant safety glasses are designed to take flying chips and debris without cracking or popping out. For grinding and cutting, this is the difference between a scare and a trip to A and E.
3. Coatings: anti fog and anti scratch (Staying usable all shift)
Anti fog safety glasses help when you are breathing into a mask or working in damp, warm areas. Anti scratch coatings keep lenses clearer for longer, but they are not magic, so store them properly and do not chuck them loose in a bucket of fixings.
Safety Glasses Accessories That Keep Them Working
A couple of small add ons stop your eye protection getting scratched up, steaming over, or going missing on day two.
1. Glasses case or microfibre pouch
This stops scratch resistant safety glasses getting ruined by keys, screws, and dust in the van door pocket, so you are not looking through a fog of scuffs by the end of the week.
2. Lens cleaning wipes or anti fog spray
Proper wipes clean without grinding grit into the lens, and anti fog treatment helps when you are in a mask or moving between cold outside air and warm inside areas.
3. Retainer strap
A simple strap stops your safety eyewear dropping off when you are leaning over a lift shaft, working at height, or constantly on and off ladders.
Shop Safety Glasses at ITS
Whether you need clear safety glasses for daily site work, sealed chemical splash safety glasses, or tinted and polarised options for outdoor jobs, we stock the full range of safety eyewear in the sizes and styles trades actually use. It is all held in our own warehouse, in stock and ready for next day delivery when you order by 5pm.
