What is a face shield, what is it called, and does it work? Visors, windows and brackets on a hard hat, Z87.1 and Z87+ marks, clear, tinted, mesh, shade 5 and 10 and arc-rated windows, grinding, UV, and what one costs
A face shield is a clear, tinted or mesh window that hangs in front of the whole face from a headgear or from a bracket on a hard hat; the trade also calls it a visor, a face protector or, for the window alone, a shield or lens. It works for what it is tested for: a Z87+ window has stopped a quarter-inch steel ball at 300 feet per second and a pointed 500-gram weight dropped from 50 inches, a D3 window has passed the splash test, and a shade-numbered window filters the light its number states. What it does not do is seal: a shield is open at the bottom and sides, which is why OSHA’s selection guidance says face shields are worn over safety glasses or goggles, not instead of them.
Studson Full Brim Face Shield with Bracket, Clear, Shade 5, Shade 10, Arc FlashStudson lists the Paulson-made full brim shield as ANSI Z87.1+, toric, with a chin protector and permanent anti-fog and anti-scratch coatingsWhat the names mean before the questions start. The same object goes by half a dozen names: face shield, visor, face protector, face screen, window, lens, and on a welding or arc-flash job, hood or shield again. The parts are three: the window (the sheet in front of the face), the headgear or the hard hat bracket that carries it, and, on many shields, a crown or chin guard. Each part is rated separately under ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 and certified as a system by its manufacturer, which is why a window from one brand on a bracket from another may carry no rating at all. This page answers the questions in order: what a shield is and is called, whether it works and what it does not do, what the marks mean, the window types (clear, tinted, mirrored, mesh, shade 5 and 10, arc-rated), grinding, UV, wearing one without glasses, fitting one to a helmet, and what a shield costs.
Face shields, question by question
Test figures are from ANSI/ISEA Z87.1-2020 as the manufacturers state them; the OSHA wording is from 1910.133 and the Subpart I Appendix B selection guidance.
Face shields in plain words
- Face shield, visor, face protector, window, lens: one object, three parts (window, carrier or bracket, chin or crown guard), each rated separately.
- Z87+ means the window stopped a steel ball at 300 ft/s and a 500 g pointed weight from 50 inches; D3 means it passed the splash test.
- A shield is worn over safety glasses or goggles, never instead of them: OSHA’s Appendix B, because the shield is open at the bottom and sides.
- Clear, grey, amber mirror and gold mirror are tints, told apart by VLT; shade 5 and 10 are welding filters; 12 cal/cm² is an arc rating.
- Mesh stops chips and brush and lets air through; it stops no dust or liquid.
- A shield fits the helmet its manufacturer lists it for: 7-slot bracket, model carrier or headgear; on a Class E helmet the bracket is dielectric.
- Rinse, mild soap, soft cloth; lift it off by the carrier, not the window.
Questions people ask
Do face shields actually work?
For what they are tested for, yes: a Z87+ window has stopped a steel ball at 300 ft/s and a 500 g pointed weight; a D3 window has passed the splash test; a shade window filters light to its number. They do not seal, so glasses go underneath.
What are face shields called?
Face shield, visor, face protector, face screen; the sheet itself is the window or lens; a short one is a half shield; a welding helmet is a face shield with a filter.
What is a face protector?
An older name for a face shield: a window hung from a headgear or a hard hat bracket that covers the face from forehead to chin.
What does a face shield aid with?
Coverage of the whole face against flying chips, splash, sparks, heat and arc flash, over the safety glasses that protect the eyes themselves.
Can face shields be used alone to protect against impact hazards?
Not under OSHA’s selection guidance: a shield is worn over spectacles or goggles because it is open at the bottom and sides.
Can you wear a face shield instead of safety glasses?
No; OSHA’s Appendix B says face shields are worn over primary eye protection. A sealed full facepiece respirator is the exception.
Should you wear a face shield while grinding?
OSHA’s chart calls grinding an impact hazard and says severe exposure takes a face shield over glasses or goggles; a bench or angle grinder is severe exposure.
Is a tinted or mirrored visor better?
Neither; pick by VLT. Studson’s half shield runs clear 90 percent, light grey 58, amber mirror 24, gold mirror 13. Welding needs a numbered shade, not a tint.
What is a visor face shield?
The trade’s name for a hard-hat-mounted face shield; the visor is the window that pivots down from a bracket in the helmet slots.
What are clear face shields made of?
Polycarbonate for impact (the Z87+ windows), PETG or propionate for lighter splash shields, acetate for chemicals.
What class is a face shield, and what rating should it be?
Face shields carry Z87 or Z87+ impact marks, D3 for splash, a shade number for welding and an ATPV in cal/cm² for arc flash; the hazard assessment picks which.
Does a face shield protect from UV?
Only a window tested and marked U under Z87.1 carries a UV rating; look for the mark rather than assuming.
Will any visor fit any helmet?
No. The bracket must fit the helmet’s slots (7-slot is the universal pattern) or be the carrier made for that model, and the manufacturer certifies window plus bracket as a system.
How do you attach a face shield to a hard hat?
Clip the bracket into the helmet’s accessory slots, or use the carrier the helmet manufacturer makes; Studson lists which shield fits the standard brim and which the full brim.
Can you wear a helmet without a visor?
Yes; no rule requires a face shield on a hard hat unless the hazard assessment finds a face hazard, and most hard hats are worn without one.
How much does a face shield cost?
The current prices are on the rows above: a universal bracket or mesh window is the lowest-cost piece, a complete hard-hat shield more, a shade or arc-rated full brim shield the most.
Where do they sell face shields?
Safety distributors stock industrial shields with the Z87 marks; we stock the shields on this page and ship to every state. Medical face shields are a different, unrated product.
How do you keep a face shield from fogging?
An anti-fog coating (permanent on the Paulson shields Studson sells), a gap at the brow for air, and tilting the shield up on breaks.
What are the OSHA requirements for face shields?
1910.133 requires eye or face protection suited to the hazard and meeting Z87.1; the Appendix B guidance says shields go over glasses or goggles. The live face shield guide covers when a shield is required.
Related guides
When is a face shield required?And does it replace safety glasses?Arc-rated face shields and hoodsWhat category needs whichEye protection for grinding and cuttingGlasses, goggles and shieldsZ87 vs Z87+What the plus means on safety glassesSafety glasses lens tintsClear, grey, amber, mirror and the VLT figuresHow to stop safety glasses and goggles foggingCoatings, vents and the dish-soap mythAuto-darkening welding helmetsHow they work and what the ratings meanWhat accessories fit a hard hat, and is a chin strap required?Slots, rails, brackets and straps by helmetThe ratings, test results and standards shown here are the manufacturers' published values, reproduced as published. Nothing on this page is a recommendation by Bayshore Safety that any product is suitable for a particular task, hazard or workplace. Selecting safety products and protective equipment is the responsibility of the end user and the employer, based on their own hazard assessment and the regulations that apply to their work. Confirm every value on the manufacturer's own documentation before use.