# Eye protection



## FF894 (Dec 15, 2008)

One of my agencies is looking into purchasing and having a policy on eye protection.  We are leaning towards mandating eye shields on all calls.  Does anyone else currently have similar protocols?  Where do you purchase your glasses?  The ones we are looking at are $50 a pair!  Pricey but they are nice Oakley style that you can actually stand to wear for any length of time.  

Yes, I did a search, couldn't find anything for what I'm looking for on the forum, and using google and vendors I currently use I found two extremes - either you get the huge goggles I wore in high school science class or the expensive ones I'm talking about.  No happy medium.


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## Sapphyre (Dec 15, 2008)

FF, my company has been handing out "Oakley Style" as you put it, S&W safety goggles to new hires, a quick google search show a price range from $5 to $20 each, depending on supplier and various options.


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## tydek07 (Dec 15, 2008)

We do not have a policy currently in place that mandates them... but we do carry multiple pairs in each ambulance. They are the cheap every day safety glasses. 

They are going to make you wear them on every call? Even simple calls which require no IVs or other invasive procedures?


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## traumateam1 (Dec 15, 2008)

Same with ty. We don't have a protocol to wear them on every call, but we do keep a few pairs. In my jump kit, one of the side pockets is PPE. N95 mask, eye protection, etc.


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## marineman (Dec 15, 2008)

Technically the service I'm riding with does require them on every call but in the past 6 months I've been riding with them I have never seen a medic wear them.


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## Flight-LP (Dec 16, 2008)

FF894 said:


> One of my agencies is looking into purchasing and having a policy on eye protection.  We are leaning towards mandating eye shields on all calls.  Does anyone else currently have similar protocols?  Where do you purchase your glasses?  The ones we are looking at are $50 a pair!  Pricey but they are nice Oakley style that you can actually stand to wear for any length of time.
> 
> Yes, I did a search, couldn't find anything for what I'm looking for on the forum, and using google and vendors I currently use I found two extremes - either you get the huge goggles I wore in high school science class or the expensive ones I'm talking about.  No happy medium.




For that price, they shouldn't be "style", they should be true Oakleys. Thats what my last agency offered and thats what I brought with me to the desert. Either those or 5.11 goggles, both are very well built and will last (unless lost or stolen).

Are you aware that EMS workers get a SIGNIFICANT discount direct from Oakley?

www.usstandardissue.com

Send them your credentials and they will set up an account for you. You can easily save 50% direct from Oakley. Check it out!

Some pricing info from 2007. Their prices went up a couple of dollars I believe.

http://www.ocforums.com/archive/index.php/t-509972.html


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## Sapphyre (Dec 16, 2008)

Oh, Bah.  Flight, is this only for government based EMS?  What about those of us that work for private companies?

Sapph probably should just apply anyway....


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## Flight-LP (Dec 16, 2008)

Its hit and miss for private's. Sometimes they do, other times they don't. But my dear, think outside the box for a moment....................

All personnel associated with the United States military are eligible. That includes members of a certain auxillary force (wink wink) .


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## Bosco578 (Dec 16, 2008)

I like wearing the biggest,most gay looking goggles,as well as a face shield...the industrial kind you find in welding shops.

Actually we just get the regular $5-10 dollar safety glasses,they kinda suck. Our dept will pay for prescription safety glasses for those that wear glasses.


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## seanm028 (Dec 16, 2008)

We're required to wear these on every call:





 Just kidding.


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## Bosco578 (Dec 16, 2008)

seanm028 said:


> We're required to wear these on every call:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



LMAO.....I would so wear those! Actually if I could get a pair of glasses that Bubbles wears on the Trailer Park Boys.....http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Trailer-Park-Boys-Bubbles-Posters_i1893589_.htm


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## KEVD18 (Dec 16, 2008)

as far as us standard issue:

i sent them my emt card from the state of ma and they approved my account. all you need is a government id of some kind.


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## Sapphyre (Dec 16, 2008)

Flight-LP said:


> All personnel associated with the United States military are eligible. That includes members of a certain auxillary force (wink wink) .



Flight, I could kiss you!!!!!  But, I won't, cause, hubby'd get jealous.  There's quite a few active duty people who don't think we count...


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## WuLabsWuTecH (Dec 16, 2008)

I wear over the glasses shield when I go into some situation where the pt is coughing and would definately wear it for anything that could produce splatter (intubation, partner doing an IV, etc).  Company is suppossed to provide these but they don't and seeing as I was hired in July and still don;t have a copy of the protocols, this is not high on the list of priorities on things I need to get from them.  Went out to the Home Depot and got a pair for 4.99 plus tax.


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## Dobo (Dec 17, 2008)

I have actually been looking into getting a pair of prescription safety glasses, the ones I am looking at are quite stylish but with the impact resistant prescription lenses they are going to run me about $250 CDN So I am waiting for income tax to come in.


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## Dobo (Dec 23, 2008)

I managed to find a place and purchase prescription "Oakley style" safety glasses for $98 including polycarbonate prescription lenses.

Just a note on Oakleys, I love them to death I have probably had about a dozen pair over my life time and would buy then again in an instant. And I know how durable and safe they are but technically they are not ANSI Z87.2 Safety Approved which means they aren't really safety glasses. I would trust my eyes to them any day though. But in the rare case that you may receive an eye injury while being required to wear safety glasses you could run into a lot of run around from insurance because of the fact that Oakley are not ANSI approved.


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## Dobo (Dec 23, 2008)

www.rx-safety.com


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