Plasma cutting can be an efficient process for cutting aluminium, but it carries with it some risks—as does every metal-cutting process—that require you to wear safety gear. Eye protection is especially critical as plasma cutting can lead to injuries in two different ways. When you have aluminium cut, you want to end up with a beautiful piece that fits whatever machinery or other purposes you need it for. You don't want to end up at the ophthalmologist's office. Wearing full-face protection that has shades that meet federal standards is essential.

Radiant Energy and Eye Injury

Plasma cutting emits radiant light energy. In other words, when you use plasma cutters, the energy given off is in the form of very bright light that can damage your eyes, if not lead to blindness. This is why you wear a protective face shield and don't look directly at the light being given off. The shields should have filters that are adequate for the type of job you're doing. Welding helmets and face shields are often good choices, but you have to be able to see well enough to move around the area where the welding is being done. That can make choosing a helmet or shield a little more complicated, but it is possible to find one that works.

Cutting Means Things Flying

In addition to the radiant light problem, cutting metal makes things go flying. Those bits can injure both your eyes and your skin, so whatever protection you choose to block out the radiant light should be a full-face item. Goggles aren't enough, and whatever you wear should cover the front and both sides of your head at the very least.

CNC Operation Doesn't Make Things Less Dangerous for Your Eyes

Some plasma cutting is done using computer numeric control, or CNC. When you use CNC, you're not standing right by the plasma cutter and thus don't get as much exposure to the light. But that short distance is not enough to make wearing eye protection pointless. You have to be extra careful here because you don't want to get overconfident and end up injuring your eyes.

If you're not sure what eye protection would be best for you and your workers, you can always outsource the aluminium cutting to another company that is set up with the right protective gear. That allows you to keep your workers safe while still receiving the metal pieces that you need.