Recently, a subscriber asked the following question:
We are in a medical clinic setting and have a question about our eyewash stations. We currently have the bottles with saline flush system. We are wondering if we need to upgrade those to the faucet system. Where do we find these guidelines?
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This was our response:
OSHA’s medical services and first aid regulations at 29 CFR 1910.151(c) state that where a worker could be exposed to corrosive materials, suitable facilities must be available for immediate quick-drenching or flushing of the eyes and body.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z358.1-2004, Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment, provides requirements and guidance for eyewash equipment.
The need to have an eyewash station in close proximity can be determined by looking at the chemical’s first aid instructions, either on the container label or on the safety data sheet (SDS). If the first aid information indicates that an exposure to the eyes requires flushing for 15 or more minutes, you need to have an eyewash station.
If the first aid instructions do not a 15-minute or longer flush after exposure, you are not required to have an eyewash station, though there’s no reason you can’t install one.