Standards and directives for safety spectacles

All uvex industrial safety eyewear undergoes stringent testing in our own test centre. As well as satisfying national and international safety standards, every uvex product must fulfil the exacting uvex standards that measure functionality, ergonomics, durability and wearer comfort.

Female worker wearing uvex safety glasses

DIN EN 166 – Personal eye protection

The European standard DIN EN 166 describes all personal eye protection requirements in general. Safety glasses in accordance with DIN EN 166 consist of a frame and lenses, which are classified in the following standards into safety lenses and lenses with a filter effect.

Labelling in accordance with DIN EN 166

Technical information on safety eyewear lenses are given in the following order in accordance with EN 166:

protection class (filters only)
manufacturer mark
optical class (except for ancillary lenses)
certification mark (if applicable)
symbol for mechanical strength
symbol for non-adherence of molten metal

Graphic showing the technical information on safety eyewear lenses

Graphic showing the technical information on safety eyewear frames

A simple guide to EN ISO 16321-1:2022

DIN EN 169 – Filters for welding and related techniques

In relation to special product requirements for eye protection, the EN 169 standard defines protection levels and transmittance requirements for lens filters intended to protect employees during:

light flame cutting
hard soldering
welding
arc gouging
plasma cutting

Labelling and protection levels for welding filters in accordance with standard EN 169

Welding filters must be permanently marked on the edge. The first number refers to the protection class of the safety eyewear. Depending on the procedure, higher electrical currents require higher protection classes in accordance with DIN EN 169.

DIN EN 170 – Ultraviolet filters

As part of the standards for special product requirements, standard DIN EN 170 defines the protection levels and transmittance requirements for ultraviolet filters. If the lens of the eye is exposed to ultraviolet light for too long, it can lose its transparency, potentially leading to visual impairment or vision loss. Safety eyewear lenses in accordance with EN 170 therefore meet performance requirements to protect the eye from ultraviolet radiation during hazardous activities.

Unlike welding filters in accordance with EN 169, the UV filters are not suitable for looking at electrical arcs, either directly or indirectly.

clear uvex lens graphic showing uv light blocked

DIN EN 172 – Sun glare filters for industrial use

DIN EN 172 is a special standard for personal eye protection and describes the required physical properties of filters used to reduce sun glare in industrial use. These properties include, for example, mechanical and optical characteristics and requirements of the sun glare filters.

To use the sun glare filters in industrial use, the general requirements for personal eye protection in accordance with DIN EN 166 must also be fulfilled. Depending on the area of use, sun glare filters in accordance with DIN EN 172 can be used either as filters in spectacles or as individual filters.

Thanks to innovative technologies, uvex sun glare filters in accordance with DIN EN 172 offer perfect colour perception combined with optimal protection.

Male worker wearing uvex safety sunglasses