Eye Wash Station Safety Guidelines

Eye injuries can often be prevented by wearing goggles or protective face shields. When an incident occurs, however, immediate first aid must be available. According to Prevent Blindness America, 2,000 workplace eye injuries occur annually with more than 10 percent causing temporary or permanent loss of sight. Eye wash stations can minimize damage by diluting or removing the substance or object.

Basics

• Businesses are required by the federal government's Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) to provide a safe working environment for their employees. In the event of eye injuries, people must be able to flush their eyes immediately to prevent blindness. Any substance present that can be released from its container and harm people by contact is considered hazardous. Objects or debris can become embedded in the eye as well, also requiring eye wash facilities. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) recommends any hazardous environment to have an eye wash station.

Features

• ANSI eye wash standards request the station to be accessible within 10 seconds by foot from hazardous materials like chemicals and acids. It cannot be up stairs, around corners or through doors from the potentially hazardous area and must be clearly marked. Once activated, the device needs to be self-operating so the user can hold open their eyes with both hands while rinsing them in a continuous stream. The unit can be installed plumbing or a portable unit in a fixed position.

Components

• Stainless steel is a popular material for eye wash stations in places where corrosive chemicals are used because they are resistant to deterioration. The unit must produce a stream of 4/10ths of a gallon of eye wash solution for every 15 minutes of operation. Stations contain water or a mixture of water and concentrated solution designed specifically to prevent later bacterial growth in the injured area. Either one is acceptable by ANSI standards. Consult state and local requirements for additional safety guidelines.

Stationary

• In larger facilities, permanent plumbing for eye wash stations is more practical. They are usually built during the facility's construction and can be expensive to implement afterwards. Regular cleaning and maintenance is required to prevent unwanted bacteria from growing in or on the unit. Safety showers may be used instead to treat hazardous chemical or object injuries to the face or entire body, in addition to flushing eyes.

Portable

• Portable eye wash stations can be used when hazardous materials and foot traffic are minimal. Install self-contained tanks with attached nozzles in any area that does not have plumbing capabilities. These can hold 10 to 20 gallons of water or eye wash solution, depending on the model. Smaller bottles are available containing anti-fungal saline solution for easy reach in environments with very small injury risk or as a supplement to other eye wash facilities.