The definition of severe is up to the safety professional on-site. Faceshields are considered secondary protectors and should always be worn in conjunction with safety spectacles or goggles. Faceshields are considered secondary eye protection. Only safety glasses and goggles are considered primary eye protection because both items fit closely around the eyes. Standard defines the amount of noise a worker in industry can be exposed to in a workday without the use of some form of protection from that noise.
Some exceptions apply.
This standard also defines measures that must be in place to support a hearing conservation program. See ANSI S3.19 for details. Size is not necessarily better when it comes to hearing protection. The ANSI Standards provide a selection chart for various types of welding and lens shades. Third party testing is not mandatory.