Lab shades are among the basic pieces of equipment which you will find in any lab anywhere in the world. Eye protection is one of the most necessary safety wants for any lab environment for obvious reasons and there's a huge range of specialist equipment on offer. Many laboratories work with liquid and solid materials which could be annoying or cause dreadful injury were they to come in touch with the eye, making shades a must have.

Plenty of the samples, reagents and other supplies employed in laboratories are hazardous and shouldn't come in communication with the skin, much less the very delicate tissues of the eye. Corrosive, dangerous or bio-hazardous substances are a major risk and splashes have a technique of going straight for the eyes, as anyone who’s ever eaten a grapefruit can attest.

There are a wide selection of lab safety glasses available, with models made from different materials and in various designs according to the type of eye protection they provide to the user. There are options ranging from the simple plastic goggles many of us are acquainted with from chemistry courses in school to heavyweight, highly chemically resistant safety glasses and everything in between.

If it is a worry for the staff in your lab, lab glasses are also far more trendy than they once were, with many models being as beautiful as designer shades while still providing the eye protection which lab personnel need. Thanks to improved designs and additions from lab suppliers like adjustable brow bars and temple tips made from softer materials, more modern laboratory safety glasses are cushty enough to wear all day in the lab while keeping lab employees safe.

Whether or not it is polarized glasses, chemical and corrosion resistant goggles or simply a pair of no frills plastic safety spectacles to guard against splashing liquids and powders, these humble yet absolutely vital pieces of lab safety equipment are made for each conceivable laboratory application.

Tony Lewis has written articles for mags and media and includes topics like lab scale products and vintage crockery hire