Face Shields

ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 · Secondary Protection — Wear Over Safety Glasses · Windows, Headgear & Complete Assemblies

Which face shield do you need?

Short answer: decide how it mounts first. For a standalone crown, the Uvex Bionic or Pyramex S1010 come complete. For a hard hat face shield, the MSA V-Gard accessory system adapts an existing helmet. For arc flash, the Sellstrom 31200 is arc-rated. Whichever you pick, wear safety glasses underneath.

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Editor's pick: the Uvex Bionic — it arrives as a working assembly rather than a component, the ratchet crown adjusts without tools, and the window is replaceable, which is what keeps a shield in service rather than in a bin.

Affiliate disclosure: WC Safety is an independent review site. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no extra cost to you. We do not sell products directly, and no brand paid for placement.

Our methodology: how this collection was curated

We identify whether each item is a complete assembly, a replacement window or headgear on its own, because the product names in this category do not reliably distinguish them and ordering one half of a pair is the most common mistake here. Shade numbers and arc ratings are recorded exactly as the manufacturer states them. We treat the face shield as secondary protection throughout rather than implying it can replace safety glasses, and we do not list resuscitation barrier devices — sometimes called CPR face shields — alongside industrial eye and face protection.

Face Shields (2026)

The single most misunderstood thing about face shields is their place in the hierarchy. OSHA 29 CFR 1910.133 requires eye protection appropriate to the hazard, and ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 — published through ANSI — classifies the face shield as secondary protection. A shield is open at the sides and underneath and does not seal to the face, so debris can travel up behind it, which is exactly why the standard expects primary protection worn beneath. In practice: safety glasses under a shield for impact work, sealed goggles under a shield for chemical splash.

What the shield adds is coverage of the whole face — cheeks, jaw, chin and forehead — against the hazards that glasses leave exposed. That is why a face shield for grinding, chipping, high-pressure washing, molten metal or chemical decanting is specified at all — and why it is worn as well as, not instead of.

What this collection covers

Seventy-five products from Sellstrom, Jackson Safety, Honeywell, Pyramex, 3M, Fibre-Metal, MSA, Uvex, KleenGuard, ERB, Bullard, Lincoln Electric and others — in three groups that are worth telling apart before you order:

• Complete assemblies — headgear and window together, ready to wear: the Uvex Bionic, Pyramex S1010, and the arc-rated Sellstrom 31200.
• Headgear and mounting — around ten items: the Fibre-Metal F300 ratchet crown, the Sellstrom 32000 crown, and the MSA V-Gard hard-hat system. These hold a window; they are not a shield on their own.
• Replacement windows — around twenty, clear and shaded. A window fits a specific headgear family, so match the maker and the model rather than the look.
• Shaded and IR windows for hot work — the Jackson QUAD500 at shade 8, Jackson 29080 at IR 5.0, the Lincoln OMNIShield at shade 3, and the Fibre-Metal 4178IRUV3 window.

Primary protection goes underneath: safety glasses for impact, safety goggles for splash and dust. Related: hard hats for bracket-mounted shields, welding safety glasses, and welding helmets for arc work.

Protection level comparison

How to choose a full face shield without ordering half a system

Do you need safety glasses underneath?

Yes, and this is the point most often missed. A face shield is classified as secondary protection precisely because it does not seal — it stands off the face, open at the sides and below, so a ricocheting fragment can reach the eyes from underneath. ANSI Z87.1 and OSHA both expect primary protection worn beneath it, which means glasses for impact and sealed goggles where splash or fine dust is the hazard. A shield worn alone is a common finding in incident reports, not a compliant configuration.

Is this a complete shield, a window, or headgear?

Check before ordering, because roughly forty per cent of this collection is one half of a pair. A face shield is normally a crown or hard-hat bracket plus a replaceable window, sold separately so the window can be renewed when it clouds or pits. That is sensible for a fleet and confusing for a first purchase: order a bare window and there is nothing to hold it; order headgear alone and there is nothing to look through. Windows are also family-specific — a Fibre-Metal window fits Fibre-Metal headgear, a Sellstrom DP4 window fits the DP4 crown — so match the maker and model rather than the shape.

Can a welding face shield replace a helmet?

For grinding, chipping and light torch work with the right shade, yes — that is what the shade 3, IR 5.0 and shade 8 windows here are for. For arc welding, no. An arc calls for shade 10 to 14 and a helmet that shields the face and neck from ultraviolet, and no face shield in this collection reaches that. Shaded shields do have a real place in arc work as the layer worn for grinding between passes, or over a helmet in some configurations, but never as the arc protection itself.

What does an arc flash rating add?

Arc flash is a different hazard from arc welding — an electrical fault producing an explosive release of heat and pressure. An arc-rated shield such as the Sellstrom 31200 is tested for that event and carries an arc rating, and it forms part of a full arc-rated clothing system rather than standing alone. A standard polycarbonate shield is not arc-rated and should not be substituted.

Clear, tinted, or coated?

Clear polycarbonate is the default and the right answer for most indoor work. Tinted or mirrored windows cut glare outdoors and radiant heat near furnaces. Anti-fog coatings matter more than they sound — a fogged shield gets lifted, and a lifted shield protects nothing — while anti-scratch extends usable life in gritty work. Coatings are consumable: clean with a proper lens cloth, never a solvent or an abrasive rag.

Care, inspection and replacement

Inspect the window before each use for cracks, crazing, deep scratches, pitting and any yellowing, and replace it when vision is degraded rather than waiting for damage that is obviously structural — a scratched window makes fine work harder, which changes how people behave at the bench. Check the crown's ratchet and pivots too; a shield that will not stay down is a shield that gets left up.

Any window that has taken a real impact should be replaced even if it looks intact, on the same logic as a harness after a fall. Further reading: how to choose a face shield, safety glasses vs face shields, best face shields, best shields for welding and grinding, and ANSI Z87.1 explained.

Face shield FAQ

Do I need safety glasses under a face shield?

Yes. A face shield is secondary protection under ANSI Z87.1 — it does not seal to the face and is open at the sides and below. Primary protection goes underneath: glasses for impact, sealed goggles for splash or fine dust.

Is a face shield enough on its own?

No. Worn alone it does not satisfy the eye-protection requirement, because debris can reach the eyes from beneath the shield.

Is this listing a complete shield or just a window?

Check carefully — around forty per cent of this collection is a replacement window or headgear rather than a complete assembly. Windows are family-specific and must match the headgear maker and model.

Can I use a face shield for arc welding?

No. Arc welding needs shade 10 to 14 and a helmet covering face and neck. Shaded face shields here are for grinding, chipping and light torch work.

What is the difference between arc flash and arc welding protection?

Arc flash is an electrical fault event; an arc-rated shield is tested for it and forms part of an arc-rated clothing system. Arc welding protection is about sustained radiant energy and needs a welding helmet.

Which shade do I need for grinding?

Grinding needs impact protection rather than a filter shade — clear is normal. Shade only comes in when radiant energy is present, such as light torch work or furnace operations.

Will any window fit my headgear?

No. Windows are specific to a headgear family — Fibre-Metal to Fibre-Metal, Sellstrom DP4 to the DP4 crown. Match maker and model rather than apparent shape.

Can a face shield mount to a hard hat?

Yes, with the right bracket or accessory system — the MSA V-Gard kit is an example. The bracket must match the hard hat's slot type.

Does anti-fog matter on a face shield?

More than it sounds. A fogged shield gets lifted, and a lifted shield protects nothing. Anti-fog coatings are consumable and degrade with abrasive cleaning.

How do I clean a face shield window?

Mild soap, water and a proper lens cloth. Solvents and abrasive rags destroy coatings and craze polycarbonate.

When should a window be replaced?

When cracked, crazed, deeply scratched, pitted or yellowed, or after any significant impact even if it appears intact.

Are CPR face shields the same thing?

No. A CPR face shield is a resuscitation barrier with a one-way valve for rescue breathing — a first-aid item, not eye or face protection, and nothing in this collection serves that purpose.

Why trust WC Safety on eye and face protection?

WC Safety reviews workplace PPE full-time as an independent affiliate site — we do not sell products, hold no inventory, and accept no paid placements. On this page that independence does two specific things. It lets us lead with the fact that a face shield is secondary protection and needs glasses or goggles underneath, rather than selling it as a complete answer. And it makes us say that roughly forty per cent of this grid is a component — a bare window or headgear — rather than letting the product count imply seventy-five wearable shields. Shade numbers and arc ratings are reported exactly as the manufacturer states them. Standards referenced are ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.133. Reviewed by Steven Eaton, WC Safety editor. Last reviewed: July 2026.