Eye protection shade rating for exothermic cutting operations?

• A. 5.0
• B. 3.0
• C. 2.0
• D. 4.0

Answer: (A)

Exothermic cutting produces very bright light and intense radiant heat, including UV and IR radiation. To protect the eyes, the lens must block enough of that light while still letting you see the cut line and the surrounding area. The shade rating on protective lenses indicates how dark the lens is—the higher the shade, the less light gets through. For this operation, a mid-range shade around five provides the right balance: it blocks enough glare and radiation to prevent eye damage, but isn’t so dark that you can’t see the work area or react to hazards in the collapse environment. Lighter shades would leave the eyes exposed to the bright glare, while darker shades would hinder visibility in dim rescue conditions. Therefore, five is the appropriate choice.