Arkansas Code
Subchapter 1 - General Provisions
§ 6-51-102. Eye protection

(a) Every student and teacher in the public schools, colleges, vocational schools, and universities of this state participating in any of the following courses is required to wear industrial-quality eye protective devices at all times while participating in the following courses or laboratories:
(1) Vocational or industrial arts shops or laboratories involving experience with:
(A) Hot molten metals;
(B) Milling, sawing, turning, shaping, cutting, grinding, or stamping of any solid materials;
(C) Heat treatment, tempering, or kiln firing of any metal or other materials;
(D) Gas or electric arc welding;
(E) Any of the processes listed in this section which may be used for repairing a vehicle; or
(F) Caustic or explosive materials; or

(2) Chemical or combined chemical-physical laboratories involving caustic or explosive chemicals or hot liquids or solids.

(b) A board of education may in its discretion:
(1) Purchase eye protective devices and furnish them free to students and teachers;
(2) Purchase eye protective devices and sell or rent the devices to students and teachers; or
(3) Require students and teachers to furnish their own eye protective devices without cost to the school, college, or university.

(c) As used in this section:
(1) A “board of education” shall be construed to include school district boards of directors of this state, county boards of education, or the trustees of the various state-supported institutions of higher learning in this state; and
(2) “Industrial-quality eye protective devices” means devices meeting the standards of the American standard safety code for head, eye, and respiratory protection, Z2. 1-1959, promulgated by the American National Standards Institute.