In order to be effective, emergency eyewash stations are required to be easy to reach and simple to operate by someone with injured eyes. Yet, it may seem surprising just how easy it is to hinder workers’ ability to rinse their eyes properly during an emergency.
Your facility is set up to operate smoothly and to meet applicable safety standards - both your company’s internal guidelines and those set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). When it comes to eyewash stations, it’s easy to install, maintain and use them properly - and as you’ll see, it’s equally easy to inhibit their use. Could your facility be making common mistakes that actually prevent workers from rinsing their eyes in case of emergency? Here is a look at some common pitfalls to the proper use of emergency eyewash systems, and the safety guidelines that should be followed instead.
It may sound crazy, but this is a common workplace mistake. While the station may be used infrequently, remember that when it’s needed, someone’s vision is on the line - and every second counts. ANSI requires that eyewash be placed in an accessible, unobstructed location that requires no more than a ten second walk from the hazardous materials by everyone who works with or among these materials. Where strong acids or strong caustics are present, eyewash should be located immediately adjacent to the hazard.