LONDON: Foggy visors have become one of life’s daily irritations for millions of workers worldwide during the year of the pandemic.

Now a Saudi company has come up with a solution for what is a particular problem in the Gulf where people often move between humid and air-conditioned environments.

Chemicals giant SABIC has designed an anti-fog film designed especially for COVID-19 protection equipment such as safety face shields and goggles in front-line work environments.

The film product has a one-sided coating that extends the time-to-fog even at very high ambient humidity.

“We have identified a gap in the market when it comes to the effective protection of front-line workers against the COVID-19 pathogen,” said Ahmet Kizilirmakli, senior business manager Americas at SABIC. “In work environments subjected to sudden temperature changes and high humidity, visors and safety goggles often fail to provide adequate long-term anti-fog performance. This forces workers to either not wear such visors and safety goggles at all or take these off for frequent wiping.”

SABIC is one of the world’s largest chemical companies and is increasingly developing higher-value plastic solutions for different industries from health care to hospitality.

The Riyadh-headquartered firm’s anti-fogging product, technically known as LEXAN HP92AF, has already been piloted in different workplaces including health care facilities and meatpacking plants.

Besides visors, facemasks and safety goggles, other targeted applications include motorcycle visors, ski goggles, automotive cluster lenses, medical instrument lenses and displays as well as industrial lenses.

“In high-humidity environments, the time-to-fog makes a difference. This product can ensure optimum optical clarity over extended periods, allowing the users of face shields and other transparent safety equipment to concentrate on their jobs safely without being impaired by fogging,” said Mark Troszak, film segment leader at SABIC.