The Eyes Have It

In 29 CFR 1910.151, OSHA requires that “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.”  Not only does OSHA make this requirement, but manufacturers of products may indicate on their Material Safety Data Sheet that First Aid for eye injury requires 15 minutes of drenching.  If your dental laboratory uses any product that contains this information on the MSDS, then you must have one or more eye wash stations.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has promulgated a voluntary standard covering emergency eyewash and shower equipment - ANSI Z358.1.  In this standard, you will find a guideline for the proper design, performance, installation, use and maintenance of emergency equipment. This standard was originally adopted in 1981, then rewritten in 1990, 1998 and again in 2004.

Eye wash stations include emergency showers, eye/face washes, eye washes, eye wash/drench hose units, drench hose units, combination eye/face wash and showers, portable units and special designs to provide access to handicapped persons.

Portable eye wash stations may be used when plumbing or a reliable water source isn’t available. The two most common types are gravity-fed and gravity flow. The water flows downward by means of a tank higher than the nozzles and thus the volume of water pushes the flow downward. They are easily mounted on the wall but sometimes may be wheeled around on a cart for mobility. If this type of eyewash is selected, you must ensure that it meets the standard of delivering three gallons per minute and is capable of running uninterrupted for at least 15 minutes. These types of eye wash facilities require a water preservative or additive.

Personal eye wash bottles are considered as supplemental to plumbed or gravity-fed units and cannot be a substitute for an emergency eye wash unit because it is not capable of delivering flushing fluid both eyes simultaneously at the ANSI Z358.1 required rate of 0.4 gallons per minute for 15 consecutive minutes.

COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST FOR EYEWASH STATIONS

    * Eyewash units must meet ANSI Z358.1-2004 provisions.
    * Eyewash must deliver 0.4 gallons of water per minute for 15 minutes.
    * Must deliver tepid water (lukewarm).
    * Accessible in not more than 10 seconds - approximately 55 feet.
    * Located on same floor as the hazard.
    * Path must be free of obstructions.
    * Outlet heads positioned between 33” and 45” from floor and at least 6’ from wall or nearest obstruction.
    * Test emergency eyewash equipment weekly.
    * Instruct employees on proper use and location of emergency equipment
    * Identify eye wash location with highly visible signs.
    * Area around eyewash shall be well lighted.
    * Protect spray heads from airborne contaminants.

There are also portable collection tanks available that fit under an eyewash when no drain is available.

Safelink recommends a stand-alone eyewash, but if one cannot be installed then consider a swivel countertop eye wash or a swing-down eye wash. Both of these can be installed on an existing sink. The swivel-over or swivel-down models let you position the eye wash heads out over the sink and swivel back out of the way for convenient storage. Remember that you can’t install an eyewash on a sink where hazardous chemicals are used or at a sink where a piece of equipment such as a steam cleaner could provide an additional hazard at the sink.

The temperature of the water supplied to an eyewash must be tepid. Appendix B6 of the 2004 ANSI standard indicates that as a general rule 100∫ Fahrenheit is probably the highest temperature water should be, while the lower end should be 60∫ F. Temperatures over 100 may intensify chemical burns to the skin and eyes and hypothermia becomes a concern on the lower end of the scale.

In areas where the water cannot be maintained at a lukewarm temperature, a mixing valve must be installed. This valve mixes hot and cold water to maintain the outlet temperature to an acceptable temperature. One of my clients in Minnesota was required by OSHA to install a mixing valve at the eye wash station.

Plumbed emergency eye wash equipment must be tested weekly to verify proper operation and inspected annually. Gravity-feed units should be tested according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Plumbed equipment should be tested long enough to ensure proper operation. The 2004 ANSI revision offers more specific rationale regarding why it is so critical to test. Besides confirming that the unit works, the testing can clear sedimentation that can clog the supply line and flush stagnate water from plumbed fixtures reducing the chance of microbial hazards. It is helpful to attach an inspection tag to the eye wash unit to document the inspection plus it may be an important document upon an OSHA inspection.

Eye wash units should be accessible within 10 seconds of a hazardous workstation. According to the revised ANSI standard, 10 seconds is approximately 55 feet.

Fixtures should be located in open areas free of any obstructions. Make sure that aisles leading to an eyewash are not cluttered or impeded in any way. Doors can be a concern. The 2004 appendix that follows the 2004 ANSI standard indicates that it is acceptable for one door to separate potential users from emergency fixtures under certain conditions. However, the door cannot have a lock and it must open in the direction moving towards the shower or eyewash.

Last but not least, you must inform employees of the location of the eye wash and indicate its location by a sign. Also, you must show employees how to use the eye wash. Always remember that it is a good practice to document all training and maintain the documentation for at least three years.

Do you have a question for Mary Borg? E-mail jdt@nadl.org.

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