microwave high power eye safety

I was asked to recommend some method, such as wire mesh goggles, to protect a test technicians eyeballs from high power microwave energy that might be released into a lab during product testing.
I am not having much luck finding such things. I have found FULL BODY SUITS for RF protection, as in a tower climber might use when climbing an antenna tower with operating radiating sources. But that would be a little hard to suggest to wear all day long in a lab where there just MIGHT be an unintentional RF radiation release.

Does anyone know of any goggles or face shield type of thing a tech can put on their head before turning on a high power microwave source.

Frequency of interest is either 915 or 2450 MHz.

There will be RF power measuring alarms nearby, so i only need something to protect for say one minute as the tech deactivates the device under test.

Expected power density at eye level in an unexpected RF leak: 10 mw/cm² to perhaps 1000 mw/cm²

At those frequencies, the eyes will be little affected by incidental radiation. More likely, it will be the entire head (resonant cavity) that will bear the brunt of the radiation. So no worries! The head will be done before the eyes!

Is something being transmitted? If so, a lab environment is NOT where this testing should be done. It seems to me that proper safe testing proceedures are the order of the day. Maybe a better explanation of what you are doing.

it is a microwave oven, with some new capabilities, so there are potentials for leakage out the door, etc.

SLK001 said:

So no worries! The head will be done before the eyes!

Click to expand...

This doesn't make me feel better

These guys make some stuff that you are looking for. You look like Darth Vader but you will survive (both, head and eyes)
https://hollandshielding.com/Face-protection

You should be putting the units-under-test in some kind of shielded enclosure - like a mini screen room. Testing such units in an open lab area may violate OSHA safely standards,

vfone said:

This doesn't make me feel better

These guys make some stuff that you are looking for. You look like Darth Vader but you will survive (both, head and eyes)
https://hollandshielding.com/Face-protection

Click to expand...

Interesting, but it does not look like a professional engineering site. No data sheet is listed, for instance, nor any EU or USA approvals.

- - - Updated - - -

Here is an interesting OSHA powerpoint presentation, a little dated (2001) that lists a permissible level at 10 mw/cm², and an action level at 50% of that. So above 5 mw/cm², you need either engineering controls or individual worker protection garb.

https://www.osha.gov/dte/library/radiation/rf_nc_standard/rf_nc_standard.ppt

I think you didn't check well their website.
They have tons of US and EU certifications, and most probably if you ask them they can provide also specs for their shielded equipment, which is not something hard to measure and provide.
Not professional !? Just looking to the their variety of products they make, and I can say they are very professional...

https://hollandshielding.com/Products

Thanks, i will send them an email!

Is placing the oven inside a shielding test chamber an option during testing? I would be inclined to go down that road rather than looking for some kind of funky helmet that will probably not work well anyway. Even if you could find something to protect the technician's eyes what about the rest of the body?

There are numerous versions of "shielding chambers" that are available and the approximate size of a refrigerator. I would want to see a shielded box with absorber/RAM about a foot thick at your frequencies. Yes, that would imply an inconveniently large box. Pay some attention to the door and test feed-throughs.

Distance form the radiator/oven can also be your friend. Move away from the thing before turning it on.

Ideally an anechoic chamber with good shielding would be a good place to do testing with the operators outside. If power radiated really gets high be aware that RAM can burn and give off really nasty gas. There is also the potential for a fire hazard, even with "non-inflamable" RAM.