Why eyewear matters in contamination control (even when it’s “just safety glasses”)
In cleanrooms and controlled environments, eyewear sits right in the “touch zone”: operators adjust it, wipe it, move it between areas, and sometimes set it down where it shouldn’t go.
That behavior can become a particle and transfer pathway if your gowning method isn’t tight.
ISO classification is built around airborne particle concentration (ISO 14644-1), but real-world performance depends on how people enter, gown, and behave once inside.
Product identity (manufacturer literature first)
KleenGuard™ V30 Nemesis™ Safety Glasses, SKU 25688, are supplied as non-sterile, latex-free eyewear in a 12-pair case.
This variant is described as Smoke Mirror and is not specified as anti-fog or anti-scratch in the uncoated configuration.
Treat it as a robust safety-eyewear choice for industrial programs and controlled support areas, then qualify its use if you intend to bring it across a gowning boundary.
Cleanroom fit: align to ISO first, then Annex 1 where applicable
ISO lens: ISO 14644-1 sets the classification framework for air cleanliness by particle concentration; it does not “approve” products.
The operational side is handled in ISO 14644-5, which calls for an operations control program that includes personnel management and a gowning program.
Annex 1 lens: EU GMP Annex 1 (sterile manufacturing) raises the bar—personnel practices, training, and gowning discipline are treated as a core contamination-control lever.
If you operate under Annex 1 expectations, eyewear selection and handling should be explicitly addressed in your contamination control strategy (CCS) and gowning qualification approach.
Donning (gowning) guidance: where eyewear belongs in a cleanroom sequence
A practical, repeatable sequence (ISO-first approach)
- Pre-entry prep: remove loose items, minimize face/hair touching, and confirm eyewear is clean and staged (not rolling around in a pocket).
- Hair containment first: bouffant/hood goes on before you start handling face PPE; the goal is reducing shed at the source.
- Mask / face covering: fit it, seal it, then stop “micro-adjustments.” Rework here is a common contamination trigger.
- Eyewear next: put glasses on after mask/hood so you’re not repeatedly lifting a hood edge or touching skin to reposition frames.
- Final gowning layers: suit/coat, then gloves last (or per site SOP), minimizing contact between bare hands and “inside surfaces.”
- In-room behavior rule: if you touch eyewear, treat it like a touch event—pause, re-sanitize or re-glove as required by your SOP.
Annex 1 operations frequently demand additional rigor (qualification, periodic reassessment, and documented gowning discipline). If your area is sterile-grade, don’t “borrow” industrial eyewear practices—write it into the CCS and train it until it’s automatic.
Specifications (consolidated for receiving & program control)
| Attribute |
25688 (Smoke Mirror, Uncoated) |
| SKU / MPN |
25688 |
| UPC |
036000256888 |
| Sterile |
No |
| Latex-free |
Yes |
| Packaging |
Re-sealable packaging noted in data sheet |
| Case pack |
12 glasses per case |
| Identifiers |
Case barcode 10761445198062; Pack barcode 761445198065 |
| Country of origin (listed) |
Taiwan |
Common contamination & usability failure modes (and what to do instead)
- “Adjusting glasses” becomes a habit: build a touch-event rule (touch eyewear = re-sanitize/re-glove per SOP).
- Lens haze or residue from the wrong cleaner: qualify the wipe/cleaner combo; in controlled areas, use low-residue methods and avoid unknown sprays.
- Storage drift: eyewear tossed into drawers and pockets accumulates debris—stage it in a designated, clean container if it crosses boundaries.
- Wrong eyewear for the zone: if the process needs a seal (splash or particle control), move to the correct goggle solution rather than “making glasses work.”
Ansell (KleenGuard) + SOSCleanroom: what changes in the real world
Ansell’s acquisition of the KCPPE business brought KleenGuard™ into a larger global protection portfolio and introduced programs such as RightCycle™ and APEX™ that speak directly to program maturity.
For SOSCleanroom customers, the practical upside is straightforward: broader availability, tighter portfolio alignment, and a clearer runway for documentation-driven PPE programs as the integration continues.
SOSCleanroom note about SOP's
The Technical Vault is written to help customers make informed contamination-control decisions and improve day-to-day handling technique.
It is not your facility’s Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), batch record, or validation protocol.
Customers are responsible for establishing, training, and enforcing SOPs that fit their specific risks, products, equipment, cleanroom classification, and regulatory obligations.
Always confirm suitability and acceptance criteria using your internal quality system and documented methods.
If you adapt any technique guidance from this entry, treat it as a starting point. Review it, approve it, and qualify it for your specific workflow and zone.
Source basis
- SOSCleanroom product page (25688): https://www.soscleanroom.com/product/apparel/kleenguard-nemesis-safety-glasses-smoke-mirror-uncoated-case-12/
- Product Data Sheet (25688): https://docs.rs-online.com/3ef6/0900766b815510fd.pdf
- KleenGuard/Ansell product statement (25688): https://kleenguard.ansell.com/ca/en/products/kleenguard-nemesis-safety-glasses-25688
- ISO 14644-1 (classification context): https://www.iso.org/standard/53394.html
- ISO 14644-5 (operations; gowning program context): https://www.iso.org/standard/88599.html
- EU GMP Annex 1 (sterile manufacturing; personnel/gowning context): https://health.ec.europa.eu/system/files/2022-08/20220825_gmp-an1_en_0.pdf
- Ansell KCPPE acquisition summary (industry news): https://rubberworld.com/ansell-completes-acquisition-of-kimberly-clarks-personal-protective-equipment/
SOSCleanroom is the source for this Technical Vault entry.
Briefed and approved by the SOSCleanroom (SOS) staff.
If you have any questions please email us at Sales@SOSsupply.com
Last reviewed: Jan. 14, 2026
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