Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
Last updated
This guide is general product and regulatory information for lab and clinic staff, not medical or optical advice for any individual.
Short answer
Under OSHA 29 CFR 1910.133(a)(3), an employee who wears prescription lenses while exposed to an eye hazard must wear eye protection that incorporates the prescription in its design, or protection that can be worn over the prescription lenses without disturbing their position. Prescription safety eyewear is marked Z87-2 (or Z87-2+ for high impact) under the ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 family, according to NIOSH, and the rating is required for both frame and lens.
Definition and scope
ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 is the American national standard for occupational and educational eye and face protection devices. OSHA’s eye and face protection rule, 1910.133, tells employers when protection is required and which editions of Z87.1 a device may meet. Ordinary street eyeglasses are not a substitute for protective eyewear where these rules apply: the OSHA rule requires protection to be worn over them or to incorporate the prescription.
This page covers how the OSHA rule and the Z87 markings fit together. It does not cover choosing lens materials, coatings or frames, and it is not a substitute for your employer’s hazard assessment.
What OSHA 1910.133 requires
The rule on osha.gov sets several separate requirements that are easy to blur together:
- When protection is needed, (a)(1): the employer must ensure appropriate eye or face protection is used where there is a reasonable probability of injury from hazards such as flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids.
- Side protection, (a)(2): required where there is a hazard from flying objects; detachable side shields are acceptable.
- Prescription wearers, (a)(3): protection must incorporate the prescription in its design or fit over the wearer’s prescription lenses without disturbing their position.
- Filter lenses, (a)(5): employees exposed to injurious light radiation must use equipment with filter lenses that have a shade number appropriate for the work.
Who pays for prescription safety eyewear is a separate question, covered in our OSHA PPE standard guide.
Reading the Z87-2 and Z87-2+ marks
NIOSH’s Science Bulletin on eye protection at work (posted June 8, 2022) states that industrial safety eyewear and face shields are marked or stamped Z87, or Z87-2 for prescription eyewear, and that high-impact devices carry Z87+ or, for prescription, Z87-2+. It adds that the rating is required for both the frame and the lens.
| Mark | What NIOSH says it indicates |
|---|---|
| Z87 | Industrial safety eyewear or face shield built to the standard |
| Z87+ | High-impact version of a Z87 device |
| Z87-2 | Prescription safety eyewear |
| Z87-2+ | High-impact prescription safety eyewear |
“Z87-2” is a marking used within ANSI/ISEA Z87.1. It is not a separate standard.
Which Z87.1 edition applies
This is where the regulator and the standards body differ, and where a lab policy can go wrong.
- OSHA 1910.133(b)(1) accepts devices that comply with any one of ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2010, ANSI Z87.1-2003 or ANSI Z87.1-1989 (R-1998). These are alternatives, not cumulative. Under (b)(2), a device the employer shows to be at least as effective as one built to those standards is also deemed compliant.
- NIOSH notes that newer versions, such as 2015 and 2020, are acceptable and may be required by an employer, and that older versions may be allowable under one OSHA requirement and not another.
- ISEA announced the ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020 edition on April 13, 2020. It added anti-fog lens criteria and markings, a relaxed-optics option, changes to wrap-lens transmittance and expanded welding filters. ISEA cautions that the relaxed-optics option may not suit common industrial or laboratory settings.
- ISEA announced an updated ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2025 on January 8, 2026, with revised markings intended to show more clearly which hazards a device protects against and updated language on impact testing, lens performance and minimum coverage.
A written lab policy should name the edition it requires rather than say “Z87” alone, and should be checked against current OSHA text.
Two compliant routes for prescription wearers
| Route | What 1910.133(a)(3) says | Related requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Prescription incorporated in the protective eyewear | Protection “incorporates the prescription in its design” | NIOSH: look for Z87-2 or Z87-2+ on frame and lens |
| Protective eyewear worn over prescription glasses | Can be worn over the lenses without disturbing their position | Side protection under (a)(2) still applies where flying-object hazards exist |
For other eyewear types and how they relate to face protection, see what safety goggles are and face shields versus safety goggles. The wider PPE picture is in lab PPE and PPE selection for chemical handling.
Common misunderstandings
“Any Z87 mark on the lens is enough”
NIOSH states the rating is required for both frame and lens, so a mark on one part alone does not describe the whole device.
“Z87 and Z87-2 mean the same thing”
Per NIOSH, Z87-2 identifies prescription eyewear; plain Z87 is the marking for non-prescription industrial eyewear and face shields.
“Everyone must use the newest edition”
OSHA’s text lists three accepted editions as alternatives. A newer edition may still be required by an employer, as NIOSH notes.
“Side shields are part of the prescription rule”
No. Side protection is a separate requirement in (a)(2), tied to flying-object hazards.
FAQ
What does Z87-2 mean on prescription safety glasses?
According to NIOSH, it is the marking for prescription safety eyewear under the Z87 family; Z87-2+ indicates the high-impact version.
Does OSHA require prescription safety glasses to meet ANSI Z87.1?
OSHA 1910.133(b)(1) requires eye and face protection devices to comply with one of the listed Z87.1 editions, or to be shown at least as effective under (b)(2).
Can safety glasses be worn over regular prescription glasses?
Yes, if they can be worn over the lenses without disturbing their position, per 1910.133(a)(3).
Is there a Z87.1-2025 edition?
ISEA announced one on January 8, 2026. The OSHA rule text still lists the 2010, 2003 and 1989 editions.
Sources
- OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.133, Eye and face protection: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.133 (checked 2026-10-30).
- NIOSH Science Bulletin, “The Manufacture and Selection of Eye Protection at Work,” June 8, 2022: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/bulletin/2022/eyeware.html (checked 2026-10-30).
- ISEA, ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020 announcement, April 13, 2020: https://safetyequipment.org/isea-publishes-ansi-isea-z87-1-eye-and-face-protection-standard-update/ (checked 2026-10-30).
- ISEA, ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2025 announcement, January 8, 2026: https://safetyequipment.org/isea-releases-updated-ansi-isea-z87-1-standard-for-eye-and-face-protection/ (checked 2026-10-30).
