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Trabajador industrial usando lentes de seguridad certificados con protección lateral en planta de manufactura
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Certified Safety Glasses: What Every Company Needs to Know

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The eyes are among the most vulnerable organs in the workplace and, paradoxically, among those that receive the least attention when selecting PPE. In Mexico, eye injuries represent a significant proportion of occupational accidents reported annually to the IMSS. Most of them are preventable with the correct use of certified safety glasses. The problem is not always the absence of eye protection. Frequently, the issue is that the glasses available at the workstation are not certified, are not appropriate for the specific risk, or simply no one verified they met any real technical standard before purchasing them. What Makes Safety Glasses Certified? A certified pair of safety glasses is one that has undergone technical laboratory testing and has demonstrated compliance with minimum parameters of resistance, visual field, and protection. It is not enough for the product to appear resistant or for the manufacturer to describe it as industrial. Certification is the objective evidence that the equipment actually protects. In Mexico, the reference standard for PPE selection and use is NOM-017-STPS-2024, in force since September 2025. This standard establishes that employers must provide PPE certified by an accredited body in accordance with the Federal Law on Metrology and Standardization. For eye protection, when no specific product NOM is currently in force, the standard accepts compliance with recognized international standards. The de facto technical reference for safety glasses in the Mexican and Latin American industry is ANSI Z87.1, issued by the American National Standards Institute. This standard classifies glasses according to their level of impact protection — basic or high impact — and establishes requirements for penetration resistance, light transmission, visual field, and mandatory markings. Glasses that comply with ANSI Z87.1 must carry the corresponding certification code engraved on both the frame and the lens. Additionally, many models available in the Mexican market carry CE certification under European standard EN 166, which establishes similar requirements and includes specific classifications for resistance to liquids, electric arc, and radiation. Both certifications are recognized and accepted by Mexican labor authorities. The Risks That Safety Glasses Must Cover Choosing the right glasses always starts with an analysis of the job position’s risks. Not all environments present the same hazards to the eyes, and glasses designed for one type of risk may be ineffective against another. Impact from particles or fragments. This is the most frequent risk in manufacturing, metalworking, carpentry, and construction. High-velocity projected particles — metal shavings, splinters, coarse dust — can cause serious injuries or vision loss. For this risk, polycarbonate lenses with ANSI Z87.1 certification are required. LICA’s LLI07 model — available in clear (LLI07C-PRO) and dark (LLI07O-PRO) versions — is a PRO polycarbonate lens with wrap-around design and lateral protection, certified under this standard. For those requiring a wider visual field, the LLI06C capataz-style model offers a panoramic polycarbonate lens without a frame, also certified ANSI Z87.1, ideal for plant supervision and work with tools that carry a high projection risk. General use in plant and industry. For positions with exposure to particles, dust, and moderate impact risk, the LICA-TRAN-I model offers a transparent lens with UV protection, black frame, and adjustable nose bridge, certified ANSI Z87.1. For those who need more frame structure, the LLI05 is available in clear and dark lenses, with a two-tone design that combines resistance and comfort during long shifts. For those who prefer a compact low-profile model, the LLI04C sergeant-style in clear lens is a practical option for everyday plant use. UV radiation and outdoor work. For personnel exposed to intense sunlight or prolonged outdoor work, dark lenses and mirrored coatings are the right choice. The LICA-NEG-I model offers a gray high-density polycarbonate lens with ANSI Z87.1 certification, designed for high-luminosity environments. For those who require UV400 protection with REVO mirrored coating, the RUNNER-SM-AZ model from the Safety Man line features a blue REVO lens with black frame and full ultraviolet radiation protection. In the women’s line, the VALQUIRIA-SG-R from Safety Girl offers a brown-pink REVO lens with UV400 protection, combining functionality and design for female workers in outdoor environments. For low-visibility environments or nighttime work, the TACTIC-SM-N with dark lens and included elastic band ensures a secure fit and UV385 protection. Welding radiation. This risk requires specialized protection beyond conventional glasses. Welding hoods and goggles use shade filters calibrated to the process and amperage. However, even under the hood, welders must wear base safety glasses as protection against sparks and slag during auxiliary operations, as established by NOM-027-STPS-2008 on welding and cutting activities. Technical Characteristics That Should Not Be Overlooked Beyond certification and risk type, certain technical attributes determine whether a pair of glasses is actually worn or ends up in the worker’s pocket. Anti-fog treatment. In environments with temperature changes or high humidity, fogging is one of the main reasons workers remove their glasses. A model without this treatment becomes an obstacle rather than protection. Several models in the LICA line incorporate this treatment from the factory to ensure continuous visibility throughout the shift. Anti-scratch coating. Polycarbonate lenses are lightweight and impact-resistant, but susceptible to surface scratches that reduce visual clarity. Over time, these scratches compromise the integrity of the visual field and justify replacing the equipment. An anti-scratch coating significantly extends the service life of the lens. Lateral protection. ANSI Z87.1 requires safety glasses to provide lateral protection, either through a wrap-around frame or additional side shields. Conventional sunglasses, even with dark lenses and UV filters, do not meet this requirement because the sides remain exposed to projections. Fit and comfort. Uncomfortable glasses are glasses that do not get worn. Adjustable temples, a flexible nose bridge, and frame weight are all factors that determine whether the worker consistently uses the equipment. NOM-017-STPS-2024 reinforces this point by establishing that PPE must fit correctly to the user’s physical characteristics. What the Standard Requires in Practice For employers, NOM-017-STPS-2024 establishes concrete obligations regarding eye protection: identifying visual risks for each position, selecting the appropriate certified glasses, documenting delivery with the worker’s signature, providing training on

Split composition showing soccer cleats on green grass next to black industrial safety boots on concrete floor
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High Performance Work Footwear: What Sport Taught Industry.

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Every four years, the world turns its eyes to a playing field. While goals, plays, and records capture attention, something works silently beneath every athlete: their footwear. Decades of research in biomechanics, materials, and ergonomics have turned high performance sports footwear into a piece of engineering as sophisticated as any advanced technology equipment. What few people know is that much of that evolution also reached industry — and permanently changed what we understand by high performance work footwear. The Starting Point: When Protection Was Not Enough For decades, industrial safety footwear had a single objective: prevent injuries. Steel toe cap, thick outsole, rigid leather upper. It worked, but at a high cost: fatigue, injuries from prolonged use, and worker rejection — many preferred taking risks over enduring eight hours in uncomfortable boots. The problem was not protection. Nobody, however, had thought about performance. Sport changed that conversation entirely. Athletic footwear manufacturers have spent over fifty years investing in understanding how the human foot moves, what forces act on it during sustained physical effort, and how intelligent design can improve performance and reduce injury simultaneously. As a result, those same principles, applied to the work environment, gave rise to the high performance safety footwear we know today. Shared Technology: What Both Worlds Have in Common Impact absorption. An elite soccer player may take more than 10,000 steps during a match. Similarly, a worker on a manufacturing or construction site covers between 8,000 and 15,000 steps per shift. In both cases, the outsole is the first line of defense against the cumulative impact on knees, hips, and the spine. Consequently, the shock-absorbing midsole technology that sports footwear popularized — layers of materials with different densities that absorb and distribute impact — is now part of the design of the best industrial safety footwear models, including the dual-density polyurethane outsoles that characterize several models in the LICA line. Ergonomics and arch support. The foot in motion is not a flat surface. It has an arch that acts as a natural shock absorber and that, without adequate support, generates plantar fatigue and repetitive strain injuries. High performance sports footwear pioneered the design of lasts that respect foot anatomy. Modern industrial footwear adopted this principle as a result: a well-designed insole not only increases comfort, it also reduces absenteeism from musculoskeletal injuries — one of the main hidden costs of workplace accidents. Lightweight and resistant materials. The steel toe cap was the standard for decades. It worked, but it was heavy. Therefore, the development of composite and thermoplastic materials in the sports world — where every gram matters — opened the door to polyamide toe caps that offer the same level of impact protection at significantly lower weight. Several LICA dielectric models, such as the 105PLUS and the 109PLUS-SP, use polyamide toe caps precisely for this reason: certified protection without the weight that generates fatigue during long shifts. Smart traction. The outsole design of a soccer cleat is calculated to maximize grip on specific surfaces without compromising mobility. In the same way, an outsole designed for wet surfaces is not the same as one designed for dry concrete, metal surfaces, or irregular terrain. The geometry of drainage channels, compound hardness, and tread depth are technical decisions that ultimately determine whether the worker slips or not. The Factor Sport Never Had to Consider: Certified Protection This is where the paths diverge. A soccer player needs performance; an industrial worker, on the other hand, needs performance and regulatory protection. Safety footwear must meet technical standards that do not exist in the sports world: impact and compression resistance in the toe cap, penetration resistance in the insole, dielectric properties, and resistance to hydrocarbons or chemicals depending on the job risk. In Mexico, NOM-113-STPS-2009 establishes these minimum requirements. Furthermore, no footwear that does not comply with this certification — however comfortable, lightweight, or technologically advanced it may appear — can be considered PPE. Certification is not a decorative seal: it is evidence that the footwear was subjected to real laboratory testing. LICA: Where Technology and Protection Are Manufactured Together At LICA, we apply European direct injection-to-upper technology to manufacture safety footwear in Guadalajara, Jalisco. This process, originally developed for the European high-performance industry, bonds upper and outsole in a single operation without seams or adhesives. As a result, the footwear is more durable, waterproof, and structurally sound than products made with traditional manufacturing methods. The outcome is footwear that does not force the worker to choose between protection and comfort. Because on the playing field or on the factory floor, performance matters as much as safety. Explore our complete line of safety footwear manufactured with European technology. Available for companies and distributors throughout Mexico. Contact us. Sources: ILO — Ergonomics and human factors at work, 2022 Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) — NOM-113-STPS-2009 Journal of Sports Sciences — Studies on impact and plantar fatigue in athletic footwear IMSS — Musculoskeletal occupational injuries, 2023

Industrial worker wearing black safety boots with reinforced toe cap on a manufacturing plant floor
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Safety Footwear by Industry: How to Choose the Right One for Your Risk

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Safety footwear is the PPE that accumulates the most contact hours with the worker. An eight-hour shift means eight hours of continuous exposure to floor-level hazards: sharp objects, slippery surfaces, falling loads, electrical current, moisture, and chemicals. Yet in many companies, it remains the equipment chosen with the least technical criteria. Choosing safety footwear by industry and risk type is not bureaucracy. It is the difference between a worker who is protected and one who believes they are. What the Standard Establishes In Mexico, NOM-113-STPS-2009 specifically regulates safety footwear conditions. It establishes the minimum requirements for impact resistance, compression resistance, penetration resistance, and slip resistance that any footwear used as PPE must meet. This standard is complemented by NOM-017-STPS-2024, in force since September 2025, which requires employers to select PPE based on a risk analysis per job position and maintain documented records of delivery and replacement. Footwear without certification under these standards is not PPE. It is just footwear. Safety Footwear by Industry: What to Use and When Food and Agro-Industry In environments where floors are constantly wet with grease, blood, oils, or organic residue, the main risk is slipping and falling. The right footwear for this sector is the PVC boot, manufactured in a single piece that eliminates seams where bacteria accumulate and allows thorough cleaning. LICA offers the B-PVC-BR model (white, for food industry environments where this color is required) and B-PVC-NEG (black, for agro-industry and field work), both with certified non-slip outsoles. For environments that also require solvent resistance, the B-PVC-NR model incorporates this additional protection. Construction and Civil Works Risks in this sector are multiple and simultaneous: falling objects, nails on the ground, uneven surfaces, moisture, and mud. Footwear must include a steel or polyamide toe cap for impact resistance, an anti-penetration insole for protection against sharp objects, and a high-grip outsole for irregular surfaces. LICA work boots, manufactured with direct injection-to-upper technology using Italian machinery, provide a seamless bond between upper and outsole that increases durability and waterproofing under field conditions. Electrical Work, Installation, and Maintenance For workers exposed to electric shock risk, dielectric footwear is a non-negotiable requirement. This type of footwear uses non-conductive outsoles and materials that interrupt the flow of electrical current. LICA offers a complete line of dielectric footwear including the 105PLUS (dielectric boot with polyamide toe cap), the 107PLUS-SP (with thermoplastic eyelets and reflective strip), the 109PLUS-SP (with dual NOM-ASTM certification), and the 229N-SP (dielectric anti-penetration boot in microfiber). All are designed to meet the specific requirements of the electrical sector. Manufacturing and Metalworking In plant environments, the most frequent risks are impact from heavy objects, abrasion from metal surfaces, and spills of lubricants or oils. The steel or polyamide toe cap work boot with a hydrocarbon-resistant outsole is the standard in this sector. Safety sneakers are a valid alternative for positions where mobility and comfort are priorities, provided they include the required metatarsal and toe protection. Logistics and Warehousing Constant movement, concrete floors, and the risk of crushing from forklifts or pallets define this sector. Footwear must prioritize comfort over long shifts, toe impact protection, and a non-slip outsole. Lightweight safety sneakers are often the best option for this profile, always certified under NOM-113-STPS. Field Work, Supervision, and Outdoor Activities For personnel who combine walking on uneven terrain with site supervision or outdoor activities, LICA’s hiking line offers occupational boots with TR synthetic non-slip outsoles designed for mixed terrain. The Trepator 793SM-O model and its variants are built for this use profile. Beyond the Sector: Factors That Always Need to Be Reviewed Regardless of industry, three factors determine whether safety footwear truly does its job. Sizing and fit are critical. Tight footwear causes fatigue and pressure injuries; loose footwear reduces stability and increases the risk of tripping. The standard is clear: PPE must be the right size for each worker. Valid certification is the only real guarantee that the footwear was subjected to technical testing. Verifying that the model carries NOM-113-STPS certification is the first step before any purchase. Service life is not unlimited. A worn outsole loses traction; a dented toe cap loses its certified impact absorption capacity. NOM-017-STPS-2024 requires documenting PPE replacement. Establishing a periodic footwear inspection program is both a regulatory obligation and a concrete preventive measure. At LICA, we manufacture safety footwear with over 40 years of experience in the Mexican industrial market. Our European direct injection-to-upper technology guarantees a structural bond between upper and outsole that translates into greater durability and real protection under intensive use conditions. Our full catalog is available for companies and distributors throughout Mexico. Need guidance on choosing the right footwear for each position in your company? Contact us or browse our complete safety footwear catalog. Sources: Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare (STPS) — NOM-113-STPS-2009, Protective Footwear STPS — NOM-017-STPS-2024, Personal Protective Equipment IMSS — Occupational risk statistics, 2023

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