Most safety glasses are designed by people who have never worn them on a job. That's the whole problem, in one sentence.

They're picked for cost, not for the person wearing them. They fog up the second you breathe hard. They scratch after a week in a tool bag. They pinch behind the ears until you can't wait to rip them off. So they end up on the dashboard, in the van door pocket, or nowhere near your face when the grinder throws a spark — which is exactly the moment they were supposed to be doing their job.

Trade Shades exists because a working electrician got fed up with that cycle and built the pair he actually wanted to wear. Every pair here is EN ISO 16321-1 certified, which means it's been tested to take an impact — not just styled to look the part. Everything past that is about making sure certified doesn't mean unwearable.

Why "technically compliant" isn't good enough

Under UK PPE at Work Regulations, employers have to provide suitable eye protection wherever there's a risk of flying particles, dust, or debris — which covers most construction, electrical, and trade work. That's the law. It's also not the reason glasses stay on your face past 10am.

The reason is simpler: comfort and clarity. If they fog, they come off. If they pinch, they come off. If you'd be embarrassed wearing them off-site, they stay in the van until someone's watching. Suitable PPE has to actually get worn to protect anyone — here's the full breakdown of what UK regulations actually require.

What EN ISO 16321-1 actually means

Every pair stamped with this code has been tested to survive an impact without the lens shattering, and to meet a minimum standard of optical clarity — no distortion, no compromise on what you can actually see. It replaced the older EN166 standard, and it's the one to check for before you buy anything calling itself "safety-style." Read the full certification breakdown here.

Pick your lens, pick your job

Lens	Best for	Coating
Clear	Indoor work, lofts, plant rooms, low light	Anti-fog, anti-scratch
Tinted	Bright days, outdoor site work	Anti-fog, anti-scratch
Photochromic	In and out all day — one pair, no swapping	Anti-fog, anti-scratch

Tinted's between stock runs at the minute — back soon.

Clear and tinted lenses are anti-fog and anti-scratch as standard — the two things that actually decide whether a pair survives real site use. Photochromic does both jobs in one lens, switching automatically as the light changes, so it's one pair for indoor and outdoor instead of two.

Built for your trade specifically

Every trade has a different failure point. Electricians live in lofts and plant rooms where standard lenses steam up in seconds — here's what actually matters for electrical work specifically. Scaffolders and roofers are in and out of daylight all day, which is where a photochromic pair earns its keep. Anyone running a grinder or a chop saw needs a pair that survives sparks without scratching to hell by week two.

The certification is the same across every job. The pair that actually stays on your face is the one built for what you're doing when you put it on.

Why tradespeople actually wear these

• 96% 5-star reviews on Trustpilot
• 98% would recommend to a mate on site
• 94% say they're more comfortable than standard safety specs
• 30-day money-back guarantee, no questions past inspection

"I've been wearing my new Trade Shades a lot lately during a full rewire and at times I've genuinely forgotten I've even had them on." — Turner Electrical

"Hands down the best PPE you will ever own! Think RayBan quality and comfort, but in protective glasses at a 10th of the price." — Bailey Carpentry

Frequently asked questions

Are safety glasses a legal requirement on UK construction sites?
Yes. Employers must provide suitable eye protection free of charge wherever there's a risk of injury from flying particles, dust, or debris — which covers most site work. Self-employed tradespeople are expected to provide their own.

What's the difference between EN ISO 16321-1 and EN166?
EN ISO 16321-1 is the current UK/EU standard and replaced EN166. Both mean the lenses were tested for impact resistance, but 16321-1 is what to look for on anything sold today.

What's the difference between anti-fog and photochromic lenses?
Anti-fog is built into every clear and tinted pair — it's what stops lenses steaming up moving between temperatures. Photochromic does that plus switches from clear to tinted automatically in daylight, so it covers indoor and outdoor work with one pair.

How long do Trade Shades actually last?
Every pair is anti-scratch coated as standard and built to survive a tool bag, not a showroom shelf. If anything goes wrong in the first 30 days, it's covered under the money-back guarantee.

Find your pair

Shop the full range — clear, tinted, and photochromic, all EN ISO 16321-1 certified, free UK delivery over £40.

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Trade Shades. EN ISO 16321-1 certified safety glasses, built by a working electrician. 4.8★ on Trustpilot, 65+ reviews.