Emergency Eyewash Part 1

PLUMBED IN SYSTEMS 

SPOTTING PROBLEMS

WELCOME TO SAFE SOLUTIONS BLOG ON EMERGENCY EYEWASH SYSTEMS PART ONE AS WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE MORE COMMON PROBLEMS YOU CAN LOOK FOR WITH YOUR SYSTEM. 

DEFECTS ARE COMMON

THE PLUMBED IN EYEWASH SYSTEM SORT OF BLENDS INTO THE BACKGROUND AT MANY FACILITIES THEY GET IGNORED ALL TOO OFTEN. THIS RESULTS IN FEW IF ANY SERVICE CHECKS OVER MONTHS OR YEARS. ONE MANUFACTURERE STATES THAT ONLY 1 IN FOUR UNITS IN SERVICE MAY WORK AS EXPECTED. OUR INSPECTIONS OVER TIME SEEM TO AGREE WITH THAT FIGURE SORRY TO SAY. 

DIRTY WATER FLOWING PLUS UNEVEN FLOW DUE TO CLOGGED SPRAY HEADS

I’VE SEEN DIRTY WATER FLOW OUT OF THE EYEWASH FOR OVER 30 SECONDS BEFORE IT STARTED TO CLEAR UP.  THE STAFF WORKING IN THIS AREA ALL THOUGHT SOMEONE ELSE WAS TEASTING THE SYSTEM WHEN NO ONE WAS. AT ANOTHER LOCATION THE WATER SHOT UPWARDS AND HIT THE CEILING TILES ON A 10 FOOT CEILING. TRY TO THINK OF PRESSURE THAT HIGH HITTING YOU IN THE FACE IN AN EMERGENCY. THAT’S NOT A GOOD IMAGE AT ANY TIME. IN ONE OTHER LOCATION WHERE THE WATER WAS VERY HARD DUE TO THE FACT IT WAS DRAWN FROM A WELL, THE INLINE FILTERS HAD TO BE INSPECTED AND CLEANED EVERY 3 MONTHS TO ALLOW PROPER WATER PRESSURE TO GET TO THE EYEWASH HEADS. 

UNEVEN FLOW FROM EYEWASH HEADS WILL NOT PROPERLY FLUSH CONTAMINATES FROM THE EYES

MORE OFTEN LOW WATER PRESSURE HAS BEEN SEEN DURING INSPECTIONS. THIS IS DUE TO MANY REASONS SUCH AS LOW WATER LINE PRESSURE, PARTIAL BLOCKAGE OF THE LINE OR WATER SPOUT HEAD, TOO SMALL OF THE SUPPLY LINE, CLOGGED FILTERS BLOCKING THE FLOW WHICH CAN CAUSE UNEVEN WATER FLOW TO EACH OF THE HEADS.

CHEMICAL BURNS TO THE EYES MUST BE TREATED IMMEDIATELY

WHEN SOLVENTS OF ANY TYPE GET SPLASHED INTO THE EYES, IT IS ABSORBED FAST WHICH MEANS FLUSHING OF THE EYES AND FACE CANNOT WAIT. THE EMERGENCY EYEWASH IS THE FIRST STEP IN EMERGENCY CARE TO SAVE VISION. A MINUMUM OF 15 MINUTES IS RECOMMENDED AS FIRST AID TREATMENT OF CHEMICAL ACCIDENTS TO THE EYES. 

THIS IS JUST THE FIRST AID PART OF THE TREATMENT AND A COMPLETE EYE EXAM BY A PHYSICIAN IS RECOMMENDED OFTEN WITH A LONGER EYE FLUSH COMPLETED, ESPECIALLY IF THE CONTAMINATE WAS CHEMICAL BASED. 

INSPECTIONS ARE VITAL 

SINCE EYEWASH SYSTEMS ARE NOT USED ON A DAILY BASIS IN MANY FACILITIES THE TESTING OF UNITS CAN BE LOST IN THE SHUFFLE OF EVERYDAY EVENTS WHICH COULD LEAD TO FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM. WEEKLY, MONTHLY PLUS ANNUAL TESTING ASSURES YOU THAT WHEN NEEDED THIS EYE SAVING EQUIPMENT WILL WORK AS IT SHOULD. 

THE SIMPLE PRESSING OF THE HAND OR FOOT LEVER EACH WEEK WILL ALLOW STAGNET WATER IN THE LINE TO FLOW. A LONGER TEST EACH MONTH IS RECOMMENDED TO REALLY PURGE WATER LINES. THE ANNUAL INSPECTION WHICH TESTS A NUMBER OF FUNCTIONS, WATER PRESSURE, GALLONS PER MINUTE FLOW IS REQUIRED. PERFORMING THESE SIMPLE TESTS SHOWS THAT YOUR EYEWASH SYSTEM IS WORKING PROPERLY MEETING MANUFACTURER AND OSHA STANDARDS.

EVERY EYEWASH SYSTEM NEEDS TO HAVE AN INSPECTION TAG ATTACHED OR NEAR THE UNIT. THIS SHOWS WHO AND WHEN THE EYEWASH WAS CHECKED AND ALSO INSPECTED FOR COMPLETE OPERATION. IF YOU DO NOT SEE THIS TAG IT IS BEST TO ASSUME THE UNIT WAS NOT INSPECTED OR TESTED AT ALL.

SIGNING OF THE TAG SAYS THE EYEWASH PASSED ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SAFE OPERATION IN AN EMERGENCY. 

THIS IMAGE SHOWS THE EMERGENCY EYEWASH SYSTEM WORKING PROPERLY AS IT DELIVERS WATER AT PRESSURE AND DIRECTION FROM THE INSIDE TO OUTSIDE TO RINSE AWAY CONTAMINATION.

THE PRECEEDING INFORMATION COVERS JUST A PORTION OF THE DATA ON EYEWASH SYSTEMS.

WE PROVIDE ONSITE INSPECTIONS, REPLACMENT PARTS ON ALL BRANDS OF EYEWASH UNITS. 

FUTURE BLOGS ON EYEWASH SYSTEMS WILL DISCUSS LOCATIONS OF SYSTEMS IN WORK PLACES. DRAINAGE OF FLOW, PORTABLE UNITS, TEMPORARY EYEWASH BOTTLES. 

WE APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS ON THIS OR ANY OF OUR POSTS.

IT IS BEST TO CONTACT YOUR PHYSICIAN REGARDING ANY MEDICAL QUESTIONS ON EYECARE OR EYE SAFETY.