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Eye Wash Station Standards

Some environments may require the use of eye goggles as a preventative measure for eye protection, but accidents can occur requiring the need for eye washing stations. If a facility has corrosives, an eye washing station must be available on site. An eye washing station provides eye safety by flushing out your eyes when chemicals are accidentally introduced.

  1. ANSI Standards

    • The American National Standards Institute, or ANSI, has implemented specific guidelines for the safety of workers who have contact with corrosive materials. Any eye wash station must work accordingly, have consistent water pressure, be maintained and be in close proximity to workers. An eye station cannot be blocked by any obstruction, such as a door.

    OSHA Standards

    • According to initiative 1910.151(c) of the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration, stations must be available in work areas to provide a worker with access to immediately wash his eyes. Any eye station should be within a 10-second proximity to workers and should sustain enough water to be able to flush a worker's eyes for at least 15 minutes. However, the more corrosive a material is (such as acid), the closer a station should be to workers.

    Station Requirements

    • Eye washing stations should be placed in close proximity to corrosives.

      Eye washing stations need to have valves that operate within one second or less. The valves must be able to operate freely, meaning that a worker won't need to use her hands when operating an eye washing station. The worker's hands should be free to flush her eyes out. Any eye washing station must be on the same floor as any hazardous material people work with.

    Training & Support

    • Any employee working with corrosive materials should receive training in the proper usage of eye washing stations in the event of an accident. Eye washing stations should be tested at least weekly to ensure that the stations are functioning properly. Eye washing stations should also be inspected yearly to make sure they meet the standards of ANSI.

    Water Source

    • Change tap water weekly in an eye station.

      An eye washing station should maintain a temperature of at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Water temperatures should not exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Eye saline flushing solutions can be used in an eye washing station too. Eye saline solutions contain buffered saline that has the same pH balance of your eye, reports Lab Safety.com. Eye saline solutions also contain preservatives, which can prevent the development of bacterial growth in your eye. If regular tap water is used, the water should be changed in the station every week to prevent the growth of bacteria.

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