Key Takeaways
- CSA Z94.3 is Canada’s standard for occupational and educational eye and face protectors.
- Federally regulated workplaces must follow CSA Z94.3 where eye or face protection is required.
- The standard covers more than safety eyewear, including face shields, welding protection, hoods, and respirator facepieces.
- Different protectors are built and tested for different hazards.
- CSA Z94.3 and ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 are separate standards with separate testing methods.
Do Safety Glasses Have to Be Certified in Canada?
Not necessarily in the sense of third-party certification, but they do need to meet the applicable requirements where CSA Z94.3 is required.
Section 12.12 of the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations requires employers to provide eye or face protection when there is a risk of eye or face injury. The equipment must be selected in accordance with Annex A of CSA Standard Z94.3 and must meet the requirements set out in that standard.
This rule applies specifically to workplaces covered by the federal regulations. Other Canadian workplaces are governed by provincial or territorial occupational health and safety legislation, so the applicable requirements can differ.
For workplaces where CSA Z94.3 certification is required, the relevant product markings and supporting documentation should be checked rather than relying on a generic CSA-approved claim. The requirement, the exact product, and the supporting documentation should all line up.
What Is CSA Z94.3?
CSA Z94.3 is the Canadian standard for eye and face protectors. It applies to protective equipment used in occupational and educational environments where the eyes or face may be exposed to hazards. That includes things like flying objects and particles, liquid splashes, molten metal, and ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation.
Depending on the application, CSA Z94.3 covers safety glasses, goggles, welding helmets, hoods, face shields, respirator facepieces, and other eye and face protectors.
The principle is straightforward: CSA Z94.3 establishes a consistent set of performance requirements for protective eyewear used in applicable Canadian workplaces.
However, compliance with the standard does not mean that every product provides the same type of protection. This is similar to ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 in the US, which is referenced by OSHA for occupational eye and face protection. In both cases, the applicable standard and specific product classification determine the protection provided.
What Does CSA Z94.3 Cover?
CSA Z94.3 is built around different types of protectors for different hazards. Someone grinding steel doesn’t face the same eye hazards as someone handling chemicals or welding all day.
Depending on the type of protector, the standard includes requirements covering impact performance, optical quality, coverage, splash protection, radiation filtering, and other protective characteristics. The exact requirements depend on what the protector is designed to do and its specific classification.
There are also limits to the standard. CSA Z94.3:26 does not cover hazards including X-rays, gamma rays, high-energy particulate radiation, radioactive materials, lasers, masers, bioaerosols, or biohazards. It also doesn’t evaluate comfort, appearance, or service life.
In other words, a pair of glasses can meet the applicable safety requirements and may still be uncomfortable to wear.
How Does CSA Z94.3 Testing Actually Work?
For impact resistance, the protector is mounted on a test headform and subjected to a specified steel-ball impact. Depending on the applicable requirements, the test uses either a 6.00 mm steel ball weighing about 0.88 g at 50.5 m/s, or a 6.35 mm steel ball weighing about 1.04 g at 46.5 m/s. The ball is directed at specified points on the protector, with the exact procedure depending on the type of safety glasses.
The idea is to simulate the kind of impact the protector is designed to withstand and check whether it fails in a dangerous way.
But impact is only one part of the testing. Depending on the gear, CSA Z94.3 may also include tests for:
- Optical quality — checking refractive power, resolving power, prismatic deviation, and light transmittance.
- Ignition resistance — testing exposed parts of the protector against a heated steel rod.
- Coverage — inspecting whether the protector provides the required area of protection.
- Splash protection — determining whether a protector can limit liquid from reaching the eyes when exposed to a specified splash.
- Mesh protection — evaluating whether mesh protectors can withstand the specified impact conditions without creating a hazard for the wearer.
- Welding protection — assessing welding filters and related components for their ability to provide the required level of protection against the intense optical radiation.
Several additional tests may apply depending on the type of protector. These can include assessments of refractive power, resolving power, prismatic deviation, haze, luminous transmittance, and other optical and protective characteristics. The specific requirements and test methods are set out in the CSA Z94.3 documentation.
Does CSA Z94.3 Mean the Glasses Protect Against Impact, Dust, and Splash?
Not automatically. This is probably the most important thing to understand about the CSA Z94.3 standard: different eye hazards need different protection.
Impact
Safety glasses are commonly used where flying objects and particles are the main hazard. Think cutting, drilling, grinding, woodworking, machining, or general construction. But the specific protector still needs to match the level and type of hazard.
Dust
If dust or fine particles can get around ordinary glasses, more enclosed protection may be needed. Goggles can provide greater coverage, but their ventilation and certification matter. A pair of goggles that looks sealed enough isn’t proof that it was designed for your particular dust hazard.
Liquid splash
Splash protection is its own problem. If chemicals or other liquids are heading toward your face, ordinary impact-rated spectacles may not be enough. CSA Z94.3 includes a class for spectacles with impact and splash protection, along with splash-related requirements. That still doesn’t turn every CSA item into splash protection. Check the actual product classification and intended use.
Optical radiation
CSA Z94.3 also addresses applicable protection against ultraviolet, visible, and infrared radiation. The appropriate filter or protector depends on the specific radiation hazard and intended application.
Clear or tinted safety glasses, welding filters, and specialized radiation protectors are not interchangeable. Each is designed and evaluated for different levels and types of exposure.
It’s also important to note that CSA Z94.3 does not cover laser protective eyewear. Laser protection falls outside the scope of the standard and requires appropriate laser-safety standards instead.
What Changed in CSA Z94.3:26?
The current edition is CSA Z94.3:26, released in 2026. It’s the tenth edition and replaces CSA Z94.3:20.
One of the biggest changes is a new class for spectacles with both impact and splash protection.
The 2026 revision also adds optional splash-protection requirements and test methods, introduces requirements and testing for mesh protectors, updates some coverage requirements, and adds or revises provisions for certain face shields and welding-filter assemblies.
It also makes the scope clearer by specifically excluding hazards such as lasers, bioaerosols, biohazards, and several forms of ionizing radiation.
There is still a significant amount of information online from the 2020 edition, or even earlier editions.
While older editions can provide useful background, the requirements and test methods can change with each revision. The current CSA Z94.3:26 includes several substantive updates, so any assessment of compliance or certification should be based on the current edition and the workplace requirements that apply.
Conclusion
CSA Z94.3 is not a universal stamp of approval. It is a standard that establishes requirements for different types of eye and face protectors, designed to address different hazards.
Safety glasses should not automatically be considered a substitute for goggles, impact protection should not be assumed to provide splash protection, and CSA and ANSI markings should not be treated as interchangeable.
First, make sure the CSA standard applies to your specific job and workplace. Then, check the markings, verify the applicable protection, and choose equipment appropriate for the hazard.
FAQ
Is CSA Z94.3 the same as ANSI Z87.1?
No. CSA Z94.3 is the Canadian standard, while ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 is the U.S. standard. They address similar hazards but have separate requirements and certification systems.
What’s the difference between COHSR and OSHA?
COHSR is Canada’s federal workplace safety regulation, while OSHA is the US federal workplace safety regulator.
For eye and face protection, Canadian federal regulations reference CSA Z94.3, while OSHA regulations in the US reference applicable ANSI/ISEA standards.
Can eyewear meet both CSA Z94.3 and ANSI Z87.1?
Yes. A product can be evaluated and certified to both standards. Dual certification means it meets both sets of applicable requirements—it does not mean the standards are identical.
Are normal prescription glasses considered safety glasses?
Not automatically. Everyday prescription eyewear should not be treated as compliant protective eyewear unless the complete safety eyewear system is designed and marked to meet the required standard.
