NEW YORK--About every 10 years, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a private nonprofit organization, reviews ANSI standards.

ANSI administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system for a variety of products. An important aspect of ANSI's mission is to promote and facilitate voluntary consensus standards and conformity systems and to safeguard their integrity.

RETAIL DISPENSARY SPECIAL SAFETY SECTION

The new ANSI standard, which succeeded the old Z87.1-1989 standard, for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection reflects a major change which is that both frames and lenses must be subjected to and pass rigorous testing to meet the new standard.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) references the ANSI Z87 standard so it's important that safety eyewear dispensed as such meets the requirements mandated by OSHA.

The old standard for rated prescription safety glasses was based on the ability of the frame to withstand high-impact testing. The new standard has testing criteria for both the frame and the lenses. There are now two levels of performance called Basic Impact and High Impact.

Frames must undergo testing in addition to the typical high mass and high velocity impact tests. The ability of the frame to retain a 2.0 mm High Impact lens must be proven. If it doesn't meet the criteria, the completed prescription must bear a warning label of the High Impact standard.

Experts say it's important to make sure the frame standard is tested; a frame that successfully retains a 3.00 mm lens may not always be capable of retaining a 2.00 mm lens.

The new standard also details new differing requirements for non-plano (prescription) lenses which is much more stringent than the older standard.

This and new standards for high-velocity impact resistance are also part of the change.

For a full understanding of the old and new requirements, markings, sideshields, and other details, further information is available from ANSI on its website (webstore.ansi.org/ansidocstore/default.asp--select ASSE and choose Z87.1) and also from safety wholesale laboratories or safety eyewear suppliers.