Ballistic eyewear testing - SATRA

28 Mar '07

2 min read

It is estimated that almost one in ten UK workers employed in manufacturing industries and in agriculture, forestry and fishing will attend hospital once a year for treatment to a work-related accident. Of these, 20% will be for eye-related injuries.

SATRA is a leading test house and Notified Body for certifying safety eyewear and has purchased a new ballistic test machine to assess these products against the consequences of impacts from high-speed metal particles.

Depending on their safety classification, workplace spectacles, goggles and full-face masks can be assessed for their resistance to 6mm ball bearings being fired at them at velocities of 45, 120 or 190 metres per second - that final figure equating to 425 miles per hour!

The test gun uses compressed air to deliver the ball bearings at the slower speeds, but for the highest velocity it is powered from a cylinder of nitrogen gas. The eyewear is mounted on a test head form positioned close to the end of the barrel and within a fully enclosed chamber.

The test, which conforms to the standard EN 168 (clause 9), is deemed successful if the lens of the safety eyewear does not shed debris, losing chips or other pieces, after impact.

SATRA, can carry out all the mandatory tests associated with safety eyewear complying with Europeanstandard EN 166, and has equipment with which to assess field of vision, heat, refractive power, fogging and diffusion, material and surface quality, robustness, temperature and UV stability, corrosion, ignition and lateral protection.

SATRA Technology Centre

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