Face Shield Use Toolbox Talk

A face shield helps protect the face from flying chips, sparks, dust, splashes, and debris, but it does not replace safety glasses or goggles. Workers can still be injured if the shield is cracked, raised up, poorly fitted, or used for the wrong hazard.

This talk focuses on when face shields are needed, how to wear them with the right eye protection, how to inspect them, and when to stop work because the face protection is not enough.

Why This Matters

• Grinding, cutting, chipping, drilling, and demolition can send particles toward the face at high speed.
• Chemical splashes, concrete slurry, adhesives, solvents, and cleaning products can injure the skin, eyes, nose, and mouth.
• A face shield alone may not seal around the eyes, so safety glasses or goggles are still needed underneath.
• Scratched, dirty, fogged, or cracked shields can block vision and increase the chance of mistakes.
• The wrong shield material or shade may not protect against heat, arc flash, welding light, or chemical exposure.

Common Hazards

• Using a face shield without safety glasses or goggles underneath.
• Raising the shield while grinding, cutting, mixing chemicals, pressure washing, or blowing off dust.
• Wearing a cracked, loose, scratched, melted, cloudy, or poorly adjusted face shield.
• Using a clear face shield for welding, torch work, or tasks that require shaded eye and face protection.
• Letting sparks, chips, slurry, or chemicals enter from the sides, bottom, or top of the shield.
• Working overhead where dust, chips, liquid, or hot material can fall behind the shield and reach the face.

Safety Checklist

Before Work Begins

• Identify the hazard, such as flying debris, sparks, splash, dust, heat, or light exposure.
• Select the correct face shield for the task and confirm it is rated for the hazard.
• Wear safety glasses or goggles under the face shield as required for the task.
• Inspect the shield, headgear, visor, hinges, adjustment knobs, brow guard, and straps for damage.
• Clean the visor so vision is clear before starting work.
• Make sure the face shield fits with the hard hat, respirator, hearing protection, hood, or other PPE being used.

During Work

• Keep the face shield lowered and locked in place while exposed to the hazard.
• Stand out of the direct line of fire when grinding, cutting, chipping, or using compressed air.
• Use goggles instead of only safety glasses when splash, dust, or overhead exposure can reach around the shield.
• Replace the shield if it becomes too scratched, fogged, cracked, melted, or dirty to see clearly.
• Do not wipe chemical residue, slurry, or dust from the shield with bare hands or dirty gloves.
• Store the shield where it will not be crushed, scratched, contaminated, or exposed to heat.

Crew Talking Points

• What tasks today require a face shield?
• Do we need safety glasses or sealed goggles under the shield for this work?
• Are any shields scratched, cracked, loose, fogged, melted, or hard to see through?
• What work creates splash, sparks, flying chips, dust, or overhead exposure?
• Will respirators, hard hats, hoods, or hearing protection affect how the face shield fits?
• Speak up if your face shield blocks vision, does not stay down, does not fit, or does not protect from the hazard.

Stop Work If

• The required face shield, safety glasses, or goggles are not available.
• The shield is cracked, melted, loose, badly scratched, fogged, contaminated, or difficult to see through.
• The face shield does not fit with other required PPE.
• The task creates chemical splash, dust, sparks, heat, or flying debris beyond what the shield is rated for.
• Material can reach the face or eyes from overhead, below, or around the sides without better protection.
• The worker is unsure which eye and face protection is required for the task.

Final Reminder

A face shield protects the face, but your eyes still need proper protection underneath. Use the right shield, keep it down, and replace it when it no longer gives clear and solid protection.