Seeing is Believing: PureView Arc Flash Face Shields
The safety industry continues to evolve with innovative products that take safety to the next level. Arc flash faceshields are no exception, and revolutionary technology has transformed the historic green arc flash face shield to a highly transparent, nearly clear, arc flash protective shield that provides heightened color recognition and improved visibility.
Legacy arc flash face shields have been green-tinted. The green color is a byproduct of the dyes used to absorb the infrared light generated in the unfortunate event of an arc flash. The more intense the green tint, the darker the green of the faceshield, making high levels of arc flash head protection more difficult to see through. Color contrast, such as yellow and white, are more difficult to see through green, as well. While very effective in their protection against arc flash, the green-tinted faceshields can also decrease visibility in low light, confined space settings, decreasing color recognition abilities.
The human eye sees visible light - the range of wavelengths along the electromagnetic spectrum that are visible to the human eye - through cones and rods in our eyes. When visible light reflects off an object, these receptors absorb and reflect the various wavelengths of light. How we perceive color is based on the absorption and reflection of these wavelengths. For example, wearing 50 cal/cm2 arc flash head protection with a green-tinted face shield alters the eye’s absorption and reflection of yellow and white. Because of the green-tinted lens and the way these colors interact in the human eye, yellow and white are difficult to decipher.
Fast forward to today: new technology has been developed to absorb the infrared light from an arc flash without the use of green dyes. This virtually colorless technology does not interfere with the eye’s natural absorption and reflection of wavelengths. The results: highly transparent arc flash face shields mimic the eye’s natural ability to perceive color, providing heightened visibility and color recognition.
National Safety Apparel introduces PureView™ faceshields, which offer a highly transparent alternative to traditional arc shields, allowing for a greater range of visibility and light transmission. Our new arc flash faceshield also offers improved durability with the highest impact testing and premium abrasion resistance. PureView’s impact rating includes Z87+: “High Speed Impact” as defined by the industry impact standard ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2015. Improved anti-fog and abrasion-resistant coatings on the face shield are estimated to extend the life of the product 4x as long as uncoated products.
And it’s easy to wear. Attachable to a hard hat with the ability to adjust and be secured in various positions for a greater range of motion. Both the 12 and 20 cal faceshields feature a see-through chin cup for enhanced peripheral vision. Think ‘looking down’ – today there may be a black or blue chin cup providing protection, whereas a transparent chin cup on the arc flash faceshields provide additional visibility to perform the task at hand. An opaque chin cup reduces the range of vision in an arc flash face shield, potentially creating hazards in the job.
Contact your SMC representative to get yours today.
