General industry and construction, side by side
The same question has two answers because OSHA writes two sets of rules. A shop, plant, warehouse or office follows 29 CFR part 1910. A construction jobsite follows 29 CFR part 1926.
| Topic | General industry (29 CFR 1910) | Construction (29 CFR 1926) |
|---|---|---|
| When eye or face protection is required | The employer must ensure each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation.29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1) | The same list of hazards, in the same words: the employer must ensure each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection.29 CFR 1926.102(a)(1) |
| Flying objects | Eye protection must provide side protection when there is a hazard from flying objects. Detachable side protectors, such as clip-on or slide-on side shields, are acceptable if they meet the section.29 CFR 1910.133(a)(2) | Eye protection must provide side protection when there is a hazard from flying objects. Detachable side protectors are acceptable if they meet the section.29 CFR 1926.102(a)(2) |
| Workers who wear prescription lenses | The employee must wear eye protection that incorporates the prescription in its design, or eye protection that can be worn over the prescription lenses without disturbing their position.29 CFR 1910.133(a)(3) | The same two options apply: protection with the prescription built in, or protection worn over the prescription lenses without disturbing them.29 CFR 1926.102(a)(3) |
| Which standard the device meets | Eye and face protection devices must comply with ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2010, ANSI Z87.1-2003 or ANSI Z87.1-1989 (R-1998).29 CFR 1910.133(b)(1) | Eye and face protection devices must comply with ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2010, ANSI Z87.1-2003 or ANSI Z87.1-1989 (R-1998).29 CFR 1926.102(b)(1) |
| A device to a different standard | A device the employer demonstrates is at least as effective as one built to those standards is deemed to comply.29 CFR 1910.133(b)(2) | A device the employer demonstrates is at least as effective as one built to those standards is deemed to comply.29 CFR 1926.102(b)(2) |
| Choosing the PPE | The employer must assess the workplace for hazards that call for PPE, select protection that fits those hazards, and verify the assessment with a written certification. That paragraph applies to 1910.133, 1910.135, 1910.136, 1910.138 and 1910.140.29 CFR 1910.132(d), 29 CFR 1910.132(g) | The employer is responsible for requiring appropriate PPE wherever employees are exposed to hazardous conditions, and 1926.95(a) adds that protective equipment for the eyes and face has to be provided, used and maintained wherever the hazards of the process or environment make it necessary.29 CFR 1926.28(a), 29 CFR 1926.95(a) |
What is OSHA's rule and what is not
| Level | What it says |
|---|---|
| OSHA requirement | ANSI Z87.1-2010, -2003 or -1989 (R-1998) are the editions the paragraphs name. A device marked to a newer edition has to be shown to be at least as effective.29 CFR 1910.133(b)(2) and 29 CFR 1926.102(b)(2) |
| Consensus standard | ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 is a consensus standard. Its marking system (for example, impact ratings) is not an OSHA requirement beyond the editions the paragraphs name. Read the markings on the frame and lens when you buy. |
| Recommended practice | Requiring safety glasses for every task in a shop or on a site is a company policy. It can go beyond the hazards the paragraph lists. It is recommended, not required by OSHA.29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1) and 29 CFR 1926.102(a)(1) |
Does your state do it differently?
Some states run their own State Plan and write their own text, so the federal paragraphs above describe federal OSHA states. Look up your state on the State Plans page and read its rule before you rely on the federal wording.
What OSHA cited most under these standards in FY2025
| Paragraph | What it covers | FY2025 citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1910.133(a)(1) | Eye or face protection for the listed hazards | 438 |
| 1910.133(a)(3) | 36 | |
| 1910.133(a)(2) | 9 | |
| 1910.133(a)(5) | 6 | |
| 1910.133(a) | 1 | |
| 1910.133(a)(4) | 1 | |
| 1926.102(a)(1) | Eye or face protection for the listed hazards | 2,555 |
| 1926.102(a)(2) | 26 | |
| 1926.102(a)(3) | 8 | |
| 1926.102(b)(1)(i) | 4 | |
| 1926.102(b)(1) | 4 | |
| 1926.102(c)(1) | 2 |
1910.133: 492 citations in FY2025 at 476 inspections, 8 of them at construction sites (NAICS 23). 1926.102: 2,600 citations in FY2025 at 2,594 inspections, 2,572 of them at construction sites (NAICS 23). Citation items issued Oct 1, 2024 to Sep 30, 2025, counted by HazComFast on U.S. Department of Labor enforcement data (extracted Oct 13, 2026). Inspected establishments, not the whole industry.
Mistakes that turn up in inspections
- Handing out glasses with no side protection where grinding or chipping throws particles sideways. The paragraph asks for side protection when there is a hazard from flying objects.29 CFR 1910.133(a)(2) and 29 CFR 1926.102(a)(2)
- Ignoring workers who wear prescription glasses. Their protection has to incorporate the prescription or fit over it without moving the lenses.29 CFR 1910.133(a)(3) and 29 CFR 1926.102(a)(3)
- Relying on plain safety glasses where the hazard is a splash of liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids. The paragraph lists those hazards by name and asks for appropriate eye or face protection, and the SDS for the product says which kind.29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1) and 29 CFR 1926.102(a)(1)
Free tool
Pick the pictograms on a chemical's label and get the families of eye, face, hand and body protection to check against its SDS.