§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Employment if there is a British standard to which face shields can be manufactured to withstand the risk of molten metal; if he is satisfied that all shields at present in use meet that standard and, in particular, the requirement that complete penetration should not take place within a period of seven seconds; and to what area of the face the standard relates.
§ Mr. John GrantThe Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that the approved specification—BS 2092—sets out the standards for the manufacture of eye protectors which includes face shields capable of withstanding the impact of molten metal.
There are a number of shields available which the manufacturers claim meet the requirements of the specification. Those are marked with the BS number and grade.
38WThat part of BS 2092 which deals with protection against molten metal and hot solids refers to a test which requires that penetration of the eye protector by a hot solid shall not take place within 15 seconds. At present there is no test using a seven seconds period of penetration. The facial area to be protected is superimposed on the standard head form illustrated in the specification.
Other shields which may not satisfy the specification are available and it is not possible to state that all face shields in use conform to BS 2092.
§ Mr. Maddenasked the Secretary of State for Employment if the Chief Inspector of Factories has approved a standard to which face shields must be manufactured in accordance with Regulation 9 of the Protection of Eyes Regulations 1974; and if so, what is that standard.
§ Mr. John GrantThe Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that in pursuance of Regulations 9 and 10(a) of the Protection of Eyes Regulations 1974 the Chief Inspector of Factories signed Certificate of Approval No. 1 on 21st March 1975 approving, for the purpose of these Regulations, eye protectors, shields and fixed shields conforming to British Standards 2092, 1542 and 679.