Where are eyewash stations located in a lab?

Laboratories are places that often deal with hazardous chemicals, whose fumes and fluids can harm the eye. For that reason you need for any lab you run to have adequate protection against eye emergencies, ready to access and easy to use. This is where the laboratory eyewash station proves itself critical to lab safety as well as regulatory compliance. You must have a laboratory eyewash station handy in case your personnel are affected by harsh chemical or biological fumes and fluids, both of which are common in any laboratory setting. These types of eyewash stations are specially designed for use in clean or sterile environments and are ideal for use in scientific or industrial-scale work.

Laboratory eye wash and its function
Double-headed eye wash, mold forming, mainly for brass and pp materials, surface epoxy resin powder coating, thickening layer, special red, the center spacing of the two nozzles is about 108mm, the slope is about 45 degrees, the pressure can be discharged at the same time, water spray It is spray-like and moderate in intensity, and it cleans the eye quickly and thoroughly. In most cases, the double-headed eye wash is part of an emergency shower.

Single-head eye wash, mold forming, mainly for brass and pp materials, surface epoxy resin powder coating, thickening layer, professional red, nozzle can be extracted, spray water is mist-like diffusion and moderate force, quickly and thoroughly cleans the eyeball . It is also called the desktop eye wash device, which is usually placed next to the test bench sink.

Eyewash is an essential equipment for safety and labor protection. It is an emergency and protection facility necessary for exposure to toxic and corrosive substances such as acids, alkalis and organic substances. When the eye or body of the field operator is exposed to toxic and harmful chemicals and other corrosive chemicals, the eye wash can perform emergency flushing or showering on the eyes and body, mainly to prevent further damage to the human body caused by chemicals.

Eyewash is an emergency protection device. When the material suddenly splashes on the body, face, eyes, you can use the eye wash to deal with it for the first time, usually it will be washed for 15 minutes at the first time. The eye wash device is generally set to have toxic substance hazard, dust poison hazard and low temperature hazard. High-temperature hazards and chemical burn hazards in production workshops, warehouses, tank areas, laboratories, and open-air workplaces where emergency eyewash installations are required.

When engaging in certain dangerous operations, such as oil field mining, disease prevention, chemical industry, etc., a little carelessness may result in harmful substances coming into your eyes or other exposed places, which makes many people in these industries fear. To this end, some necessary protective measures are always in place, and eye washes are widely used in these industries, giving the staff a practical guarantee.

Eyewash Station
The path from the hazard to the Eyewash or Eye/Face wash shall be free of obstructions and tripping hazards.
Eyewash station shall flush both eyes simultaneously within gauge guidelines (Eyewash gauge detailed in ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014) (Section 5.1.8).
Eye or Eye/Face wash shall provide a controlled flow of water that is non-injurious to the user (Section 5.1.1).
Nozzles and flushing fluid shall be protected from airborne contaminants (dust covers), and shall not require a separate motion by the operator when activating the equipment (section 5.1.3).
Eyewashes must deliver 0.4 gpm for 15 minutes, Eye/Face washes must provide 3 gpm for 15 minutes.
The top of the Eye or Eye/Face wash water flow must not fall below 33″ (83.8 cm) and can be no higher than 53″ (134.6 cm) from the floor surface floor the user is standing on (Section 5.4.4).
The head or heads of the Eyewash or Eye/Face wash must be 6″ (15.3 cm) away from any obstructions (Section 5.4.4).
The valve must allow for 1 second operation and the valve shall remain open without the use of the operator’s hands until intentionally closed. (Section 5.1.4, 5.2).
Manual or automatic actuators shall be easy to locate and readily accessible to the user (Section 5.2).
Water temperature of Eye or Eye/Face wash station should be within 60 °F – 100 °F (16 °C – 38 °C).
Eye or Eye/Face wash stations should have highly visible and well lit signage.

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Prohibitions Around Equipment

1.  No obstructions shall be located within 16 inches from the center of the spray pattern of the emergency shower facility. Note: The eyewash is not considered an obstruction.

  •   T8 CCR, Section 5162(c)
  •   ANSI Z358.1-2014, Section 4.1.4
  •   2013 CPC, Section 416.1

2.  No electrical apparatus or receptacles (electrical outlets) shall be located within a zone measured 3 feet horizontally and 8 feet vertically of eyewash stations or showers. If a 120-volt outlet or receptacle is present within 6 feet of an eyewash or shower, it shall be equipped with a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI).

  • NEC
  • Good Practice per Stanford University EH&S

This prevents potential electrical hazards posed when the water generated by the activated emergency eyewash/safety shower is in proximity to live electrical equipment.

Where should eye wash stations be located?

Eyewash safety stations must be installed within 10 seconds or 55 feet from the hazard. The spray pattern must measure between 33”--53” from the floor the user will stand on (section 5.4. 4). Nozzles or spray heads must be at least 6” away from a wall or any type of obstruction (section 5.4.

Where should a wash station be located in relation to an area where workers could be injured?

Installing Emergency Wash Equipment The ANSI/ISEA standard requires placement of emergency wash stations within 10 seconds (about 55 feet) from the hazard. The ANSI/ISEA standard also requires that wash areas remain on the same level as the hazard in a well-lit area marked as an emergency eyewash station.

What are the OSHA requirements regarding an eyewash unit?

The OSHA requirements for emergency eyewashes and showers, found at 29 CFR 1910.151(c), specify 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 ...

How do you use the eye wash station in a lab?

Using your fingers to keep your eyelids open, lower your eyes into the stream of water issuing from the nozzles. Roll your eyes gently up and down and from side to side, ensuring that the water reaches as much of the eyeballs as possible.