An emergency eyewash and safety shower station are essential equipment for every laboratory that uses chemicals and hazardous substances. Emergency eyewash and safety shower stations serve the purpose of reducing workplace injury and keeping workers away from various dangers.[1]
There are several types of emergency eyewash station and safety shower station systems, including safety showers, eyewash stations, drench hoses, combination units, and eyewash bottles.[2]
A safety shower is a unit designed to wash an individual's head and body which has come into contact with hazardous chemicals. Large volumes of water are used and a user may need to take off any clothing that has been contaminated with hazardous chemicals. Safety showers cannot be used for flushing an individual's eyes, due to the high pressure of water from the shower, which can damage a user's eyes.
An eyewash station is a unit for washing off chemicals or substances that might have splashed into an individual's eyes before he or she can seek further medical attention. The individual needs to wash their eyes for at least 15 minutes.[2]
A drench hose is an equipment that can spray water to a specific spot of the chemical exposure on individual's body. The benefit of a drench hose is that it can be applied to an individual who cannot reach a normal eyewash or shower station or in the case where the eyewash and shower station are unavailable.
A combination unit is where other units such as a shower station, eyewash station, and drench hose share the same water supply plumbing. This unit is useful in a laboratory where hazardous chemicals with different properties are used.
Also known as a personal eyewash unit, it is a supplementary for eyewash stations. However, eyewash stations cannot be replaced by eyewash bottles since they do not meet safety standards. Eyewash bottles allow an individual to flush the injured area immediately, or until the individual can reach the fixed eyewash station. Early eyewashes were designed with a single rinsing stream, but recent advancements have made eyewashes capable of flushing both eyes simultaneously. A pH neutral solution for emergency eyewash[3] may also be chosen to reduce the danger from contaminants if strong acids or alkali chemicals are presented.
In the United States, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations on emergency eyewash and shower station are contained in 29 C.F.R. 1910.151 (c), which provides 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." However, OSHA regulation is unclear defining what facility is required. From this reason, American National Standards Institute (ANSI) has developed a standard (ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014) for emergency eyewash and shower stations, including the design of such stations.[4][5]
Safety showers and eyewash stations should be within 10 seconds walking distance or 55 feet (appendix B) from the hazard and must be located on the same level as the hazard, so the individual does not have to go up or down the stairs when an accident occurs. Moreover, the path way should be clear and free of obstructions.
