The Best Safety Glasses for the Jobsite

Did you know, there are more than 300,000 eye injuries in the U.S. every year?

What’s more, as much as 90% of these injuries could be prevented with the use of ANSI z87 safety glasses.

So, if reducing your likelihood of eye injury can be reduced by as much as 90%, it seems like a no-brainer to wear safety glasses.

The question is, which ones should you get?

There are thousands of options out there, but we’ve helped narrow the list down. All the products in this post meet ANSI Z87 safety glasses standards. 

In this article, we’ll let you know what to look for and what brands we recommend to protect your eyesight.  

What are Z87 Safety Glasses?

Are all safety glasses created equal?

First things first, what makes safety glasses, safety glasses? Well, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) categorizes Z87 safety glasses by a few very important distinctions:

1. The lenses are made of break-proof plastic that is designed to protect from flying debris. In the case of prescription safety glasses, the lenses are made out of break-resistant plastic or polycarbonate.
2. Safety frames are more durable and sturdy than regular frames, and are made of shatter-resistant shields on the sides.
3. The shape of safety glasses will provide side protection to guard your eye against particles, and flying debris, where normal glasses have a flat lens and no side protection.

Use Caution When Choosing Z87 Safety Glasses

There are thousands of great options out there when it comes to choosing safety glasses, just be cautious and make sure you read the fine print. Many of the glasses being marketed as safety glasses today may have a variety of great features but not be ANSI z87 safety glasses. To make sure your glasses meet the necessary specs., always check they are ANSI certified before ordering. 

Check to make sure they’re real z 87 safety glasses.

Okay, so how do you tell the difference between one clear, plastic pair of glasses and a pair of safety glasses?

According to OSHA, protective eye and face protection devices must comply with any of the following consensus standards:

To show they are compliant, all safety glasses that meet ANSI requirements will have permanent markings indicating they have met the testing needed to be considered safety glasses. 

The requirement that z87 safety glasses fall under is ANSI Z87.1, so you will see a small embossed Z87 on both the lenses and the frames.

If safety eyewear passes the basic tests for impacts, chemicals, and dusts, it will bear the marking Z87.

If it has passed additional tests for for high mass impact and high velocity, they glasses will be marked with Z87+.

Pretty easy right?

The Best Z87 Safety Glasses for the Job Site

The glasses we will be looking at today fit into the general category of Z87 safety glasses and were chosen because they meet ANSI standards, but also have a little something extra - including great reviews on Amazon. 

Before choosing safety glasses for your crew, make sure you do a hazard analysis to identify the potential hazards and choose the safety glasses that will best protect against them.

The Best Z87 Safety Glasses You Can Buy in Bulk

Buying safety glasses for the entire workforce? It takes a healthy inventory to keep everyone stocked and replace all the pairs that get lost, broken, or left in the car from the night before. That's why it's always best to have a supply on-hand.

We like these ones from Jorestech. They are ANSI Z87+ certified, have UVA and UVB protection, are scratch resistant, and have high-flex frames. Not only that, they also come in a variety of colors if you want to match your branding. 

At just over $1/pair, it's hard to go wrong.

The Best Shaded Z87 Safety Glasses

If you're anything like most of us, you may leave straight from the job site to your weekend plans. It's great to have a cool pair of shades that can go with you from work to play without looking like safety gear.

That's why we like this pair from Ergodyne. These glasses meet ANSI Z87.1 standards and are POLARIZED. They block out 99.9% of harmful UV rays, and even have an optional foam gasket insert if you need them to protect against dust and debris. 

What more could you want?

Best Z87 Safety Goggle

The next step up from a pair of safety glasses, are a great pair of safety goggles. Goggles provide better side protection and all-around protection from mists, splashes, dusts, and other hazards. 

These goggles from DeWalt are a favorite on job sites across the US for their comfortable fit and seal. They also last longer due to a coating that protects against scratching and fog. The ventilation channels also allow for longer wear and comfort due to a high level of breathability. 

Another cool feature is the lens in this model can be easily replaced easily if you decide you want to swap out a clear lens for a shaded one or need a replacement. 

These goggles meet ANSI Z87.1+ and also provide 99.9% UVA/UVB protection. 

The Best Over-Glasses Z87 Safety Glasses

If you must go through the annoyance of wearing safety glasses over prescription glasses, you need to have the most comfortable pair of over glasses possible.

We like this pair because of their versatility over a wide range of shapes and sizes of prescription glasses as well as the no-fog, anti-scratch, and adjustable wraparound arms. 

This pair has the ANSI Z87 safety glasses certification. 

The Best Z87 Safety Glasses That Don’t Look Like Safety Glasses

When it comes to safety glasses, it’s all about function, and hardly any thought is put into form. It’s unfortunate because if you have to wear safety glasses 40 hours a week, it would be great to at least have something nice looking!

Well, there are finally some options out there to provide good looks and great features. We like these ones from Y50. They are compliant with ANSI Z87+, are scratch and fog resistant, and look more like a stylish pair of frames than an item of PPE. 

Best Cool Z87 Safety Glasses

When you want a pair of safety glasses that are just a bit better looking than the average, highly functional, and extremely comfortable, look no further than this pair. 

These are a step above the rest and come with a variety of features like the SCT reflect 50 lens which helps with sun and glare reduction. The lenses also boast a longer lifespan than most due to their anti-scratch coating. These glasses meet ANSI Z87 standards along with long wear comfort. 

The Best Z87 Safety Glasses for Women

For those of us out there who are used to being one of the few women on the job site, you know how hard it is to find safety gear that is built for us girls. And although I appreciate that some manufacturers put enough thought into their products to occasionally slap the color pink on products as a reminder that they haven't completely forgotten about us, I still feel like they haven't bothered to get to know us as customers. 

Safety glasses are no exception.

Although there are some pink options out there, we chose this pair because they are slim fit to provide better comfort and wearability for women's facial features. Better yet, rather than being a loud, Barbie pink, this pair comes in a variety of shades including this nice rose gold option. 

This model exceeds ANSI standards for high impact requirements as well. 

Finding the Best Z87 Safety Glasses

Remember, each task may present different hazards, and it's important to choose the best safety glasses for the job. 

The best safety glasses for you will be the ones protect well, last long, and fit the most comfortably. It may take several pairs before you figure out what works best. Take your time to try a few models to make sure you get the best pair for your face shape. 

Once you've found a great model, use good practices such as cleaning, storing in a safe case, and replacing when they are worn or scratched to make sure your maintain good eye protection.

Stay safe and don't become an eye injury statistic.