Which of the following is essential to wear when priming to ensure safety?

Wearing safety glasses when priming is essential due to the potential hazards associated with handling primers. Primers are sensitive components that can ignite from friction or impact, leading to possible injury from flying debris or chemicals upon ignition. Safety glasses provide a critical barrier to protect the eyes from any particles or chemical splashes that might occur during the priming process.

While gloves and protective clothing can also enhance safety by protecting the skin from chemical exposure and providing additional protection, they do not directly protect the eyes, which are particularly vulnerable during this procedure. Noise-canceling headphones, while important in many shooting or loud environments, are not relevant for safety when it comes to priming ammunition. Thus, safety glasses specifically address the eye protection needed in this scenario.