The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, more commonly known as OSHA, sets and enforces U.S. government safety standards for employers and employees. Eye injuries frequently occur at work. Around 2,000 workers suffer eye injuries every day, and 10 to 20 percent of eye injuries cause temporary or permanent vision loss, Prevent Blindness America states. Perhaps more importantly, as many as 90 percent of eye injuries could be prevented or their severity lessened if proper measures to protect eyes were in place. Use of eyewash stations to treat injuries lessens eye damage.
Capability
Eyewash stations must provide a place where eyes can quickly be irrigated with water to remove irritants as quickly as possible. Any workplace that exposes workers to corrosive or harmful materials must have an eyewash station. The station must supply 3 gallons of water per minute for at least 15 minutes to adequately flush the eye. Eye stations can be plumbed, with a permanent connection to a water source or gravity fed, meaning that the unit contains its own flushing fluid, which must be replaced after use.
Location
Eyewash stations must be located on the same floor as hazardous materials and able to be reached within 10 seconds after injury. High hazard materials may necessitate closer placement, Labsafety.com states. Eyewash stations must be identified with a sign and be easy to reach.
Water Temperature
Temperature of the water must be tepid, defined as between 60 and 100 degree F, Labsafety.com reports.
Use
Many commercially designed eyewash stations have two nozzles that face upward and turn slightly in toward each other, to make washing both eyes at one time easier. Because the person attempting to use the unit may be temporarily blinded, the unit should have an easy-to-operate on-off mechanism, such as activation with a push of the leg or foot. Water should remain on once activated for at least 15 minutes without any additional activation. Automatic shutoff should not activate for at least 15 minutes.
Implementation
All employees with possible exposure to corrosive materials must be trained in use of the eyewash station. Plumbed units should be checked and turned on at least once a week to make sure they're functioning properly. Units must be annually inspected.
Supplemental Materials
Small bottles of normal saline carried by workers can be used as a supplement to eyewash stations but not as a substitute. Squirting normal saline in to the eye starts the eyewash process, but the volume in the bottles isn't enough to adequately flush the eye, A. Keith Furr states in the 2000 edition of "CRC Handbook of Laboratory Safety."
