Eye Wash Station Directions

The Occupational Safety & Health Administration sets guidelines for workplace safety. Among those guidelines is a set of parameters that addresses when an eye-washing station is necessary: "Where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use." As a result, eye washing stations are present in many work environments. It is essential to follow precise instructions to flush the eyes of harmful materials.

Instructions

• 1

  Learn the location of each eye-wash station in the building so you know where to go in the event of an emergency.

• 2

  Avoid rubbing your eyes if they become contaminated. Although you will be tempted to rub away the corrosive agent, resist the urge. Rubbing the eyes can spread or worsen the contamination.

• 3

  Move quickly to an eye-wash station in case of exposure to corrosive materials. Ideally, eye-washing stations should be located within a 10-second walk from a work station. Timing is critical as delaying treatment for even a few seconds can be devastating.

• 4

  Call out for help. Because the eye muscles react quickly to foreign objects or chemicals, it's necessary to physically hold the eyes open to flush them. A helper, if available, will ensure you react in the most expedient and safest manner possible.

• 5

  Turn on the eye-washing station.

• 6

  Hold both eyes open as the cool water flushes out the chemicals or foreign bodies. The American National Standards Institute recommends that the eyes be flushed immediately and thoroughly for at least 15 minutes using a large supply of clean fluid under low pressure.

• 7

  Ensure a co-worker calls 911 or seeking medical assistance on your behalf.