Originally Posted by Raistlin

You need to discuss this with your employers.

They are responsible (as has already been stated) for your health and safety at work, there are a number of issues here that they need to adress.

1: They need to provide you with the appropriate protective equipment. This means that it has to be appropriate to the exact risk being posed by the lamps. You cannot just go and buy some yourself, they may not do the job.
2: Your employers are responsible for everybody's health and safety at your work place. They may need to consider providing protective equipment for more people than just you. They may even need to consider replacing the equipment.
3: If you sort this out yourself then they may conclude that you are (in some way) absolving them of their responsibility. Other people may suffer as a result. They may not even be aware that there is a problem.

The fact that your H&S person is away at the moment they still have an obligation to sort this out. If that means that they have to get someone in from outside of the company to carry out the assessment then that's what they must do.