MCR Safety MAX36 Lens Coating
MCR Safety - MAX36 technology offers 6x greater anti-fog protection and 3X greater scratch resistance over standard...
MCR Safety MAX 6
MCR Safety - MAX6 technology offers 6x greater anti-fog protection over standard anti-fog glasses. Stop using those...
Standard Anti-Fog
UV Cured Anti-Fog Safety Glasses

Why do they fog?

Fogging takes place because of the phase change of matter. If a worker quickly changes from cold to hot, glasses can become fogged. This is because warm air holds more moisture. As the cold lens cools down the warm, moisture-laden air, condensation forms on the lenses of the safety glasses. The lenses cause a phase change as the warm vapor touches them and turns into a liquid.

Combine the above with human exertion, like a laborer grinding away at daily tasks, and you’ve got an environment ripe for fogged safety glasses. As body heat increases, perspiration occurs, and moisture once again increases the likelihood of fogging.

Here are several reasons why glasses fog:

Ambient Heat

Thermal energy of the surrounding environment, like that of a foundry, heats the air and condensation easily forms against the cooler temperature of the lenses

Quick-rising Temperatures

Whenever sudden shifts in temperatures occur, such as walking outside into a warm summer day from a cool building, there is a high probability of fogging. Essentially, anyone moving from indoor tasks to outdoor tasks faces potential fogging issues.

Workers who find themselves working in multiple environments throughout the day will, at some point, face a possibility of their glasses fogging.

Increased Humidity

Moisture in the air increases the likelihood of fogged safety glasses.

Wearing a Respirator

Oftentimes, when wearing a mask or respirator, water vapor from one’s exhaled breath is aimed directly at glasses, thus fogging the lenses.

Outdoor Work

Strenuous activity in high heat leads to condensation. When you’re dripping in sweat, the last thing you want is nonfunctioning PPE.

Wearing Full-body Gear

When a worker is in full gear, heat and moisture are often prevented from escaping, building up condensation within the gear. To combat this scenario, we’ve made headgear and face shields with advanced anti-fog coatings.


The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that nearly three out of every five injured workers were not wearing safety glasses when the injury-causing accident occurred. One reason workers choose not to wear safety glasses is due to fogging. Here are some of the many occupations that require anti-fog safety glasses:

Construction Workers

Construction workers are exposed to prolonged high heat and humid conditions, which can lead to fogging.

Food Industry Workers

Food Industry workers are constantly going in and out of frigid coolers. Both frozen food plants and manufacturing facilities require anti-fog glasses.

First Responders

EMS first responders must be able to quickly transition from vehicles to accident scenes with the ability to clearly see what they’re doing.

Utility Workers

Utility workers are exposed to prolonged high heat and humid conditions.

Airport Workers

Airport workers sometimes employ de-icing machines for airplanes, which can quickly fog up eyewear due to the spraying of heated water. All employees who work outside at an airport are exposed to the elements.

Chemical Processing

Chemical processing requires daily interaction with harmful chemicals. Eyewear must always be worn, but it doesn’t help if it fogs up.

Industrial Workers

Industrial plant workers are often working in hot temperatures. Whether a concrete plant, energy plant, or bottling plant, high temperatures cause workers to sweat, creating additional moisture.

Industrial Plumbers

Industrial plumbers plumbers find themselves surrounded by hot steam coming off pipes from time to time. Safety glasses are a must.

Laboratory Personnel

Laboratory personnel require fog-resistant goggles and safety glasses. Walking in and out of a lab exposes workers to different environments.


Welders wear anti-fog glasses under their primary welding helmet. This makes it easier to have safety glasses close by when chipping off the slag.


Mining involves working underground in cool conditions, while often times moving into hot work area conditions.

Pulp and Paper Workers

Pulp and paper workers face steam from the paper drying process and all that humidity is quick to fog up glasses.

Mill Workers

Hot foundries, hot manufacturing, and steel mills emit a lot of heat. The high ambient temperatures increase the probability of fogged safety glasses.

Keep in mind, we’ve only listed the top industries where we know fogging is a concern. Any industry can be impacted by conditions that cause safety glasses to become fogged.


Standard Anti-Fog Testimonial

"They seem to resist fogging better than any of the other safety goggles I have. They fit over my glasses just fine."

Anti-Fog Technology Snapshot

It’s important to note, before describing any of the technology, that the only PPE that can achieve 100% no-fogging requires a source of airflow. Any claim that suggests otherwise should be cautiously considered.

Standard AF

Anti-Fog coating have been used on MCR Safety glasses for decades now, on some of our most popular styles: Bearkat safety glasses, Checklite safety glasses and Law safety glasses. This standard AF coating offers basic fog protection by incorporating chemicals into the lens that prevents condensation of water, which resembles fog. MCR Safety’s styles utilized this one technology until 2014, when a major advancement in anti-fog technology occurred... Max6 technology. Today, even more advanced coatings are entering the market, which will soon replace this coating all together.


UV cured coated safety glasses provide 3X greater anti-fog performance!


Glasses coated with MAX6 technology, in most cases, will not fog. In extreme conditions some fogging may occur, but they will defog up to 6X faster than standard AF styles.

MAX 36

3X greater scratch-resistant coating on the outside lens, 6X greater anti-fog on the inside. These glasses offer the perfect blend for those seeking both features. We have them in polarized styles, too!

Over the next 3-5 years, we will be upgrading all our AF styles to UV-AF, at no additional charge. It’s a part of our ongoing commitment to protect workers from hazardous workplace conditions.

Max 36 Testimonial

"I wanted to give some feedback on the Dominator DM3 Glasses DM1337BDC. They are absolutely awesome! They have even been on a trip to Mexico, they have been the absolute best safety glasses/sunglasses I have ever had, including expensive brands like Oakley. The two best things I love about them, of course, is the anti-fogging, it is truly amazing. Being in humid climates they have never fogged over on me, the only thing I had to do was wipe the sweat and water off of them! Also, the anti-scratch coating is just awesome!"

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