Eyewash Station Standards

Eye wash station inspection requirements employee safety is an important responsibility that extends beyond simply having the right equipment somewhere in the building.

Eyewash station standards.

An annual inspection should be conducted to ensure compliance with the standards for operation. This standard written and published by the international safety equipment association isea an ansi accredited standards developing organization establishes minimum performance and use guidelines for eyewash and shower equipment for the emergency treatment of the eyes or body of someone who has been exposed to hazardous materials. When an accident happens safety equipment needs to be accessible and operating properly in order to provide the type of emergency treatment capable of avoiding serious injury. As the standard states an eyewash and or safety shower would be required where an employee s eyes or body could be exposed to injurious corrosive materials.

Personal eye wash units can support plumbed or gravity fed eye wash units but cannot be a substitute. As a result the american national standards institute ansi standard z358 1 2014 emergency eyewash and shower equipment is generally used as a guide. If none of the materials used in this work area is an injurious corrosive chemical as indicated by the material safety data sheet msds for each product then an emergency eyewash or. Who determines when a facility needs an emergency eyewash station.

Since there is no canadian standard for emergency showers and eyewash stations the u s. Is the eyewash station regularly tested and inspected. Fortunately we have the american national standards institute ansi and their consensus standard z358 1 last updated in 2014. The eyewash unit should be activated weekly to make sure it functions properly and is able to supply water.

The occupational safety and health association osha is the regulatory agency that specifies where and when this emergency equipment is needed and osha depends on the american national standards institute ansi to develop standards to specify the use and performance requirements. Drench hose requirements a drench hose is a supplemental device consisting of a flexible hose connected to a flushing fluid that s used to irrigate and flush eyes face and body areas. This ansi standard is very detailed in terms of defining what is appropriate for safety showers and eyewash stations.