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An Emergency at the Eyewash Station

March 4, 2016
Improperly maintained eyewash stations can create a greater hazard than those they're designed to protect against.

Eyewash stations are a staple in facilities that use materials that can cause eye injury or eye infection, providing reprieve after accidental exposure.

But simply having an eyewash station in your workplace isn't enough. Not properly maintaining a station potentially can cause more harm than good and even create its own emergency situation.

Improperly maintained eyewash stations can become a breeding ground for organisms that exist in stagnant and untreated water. Think Legionella, Pseudomonas, Acanthamoeba. And those organisms can infect the worker not only through the water, but also through the skin or through inhalation.

That's why OSHA recommends facilities always follow the manufacturer's instructions for maintaining eyewash stations. The instructions detail when to use specific plumbed systems to avoid microbial contamination. Likewise, self-contained stations also have directions for flushing the system and recommendations on what solutions to use to flush the eyes.

Legionella

Legionella can cause a serious lung infection. Or, if a worker inhales water with Legionella present, there is possibility for contracting Legionnaires' disease, which can be a fatal form of pneumonia.

Pseudomonas

Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes an infection to the eyes, muscles, lungs and skin, and is identified by the green-blue pus surrounding the infected area. If the infection enters the bloodstream, workers can experience fevers, chills, confusion, shock and death.

Acanthamoeba

This organism usually exists in mucous membranes (nose, throat, eyes) and in neurological tissues (brain) without causing harm. However, it does have the potential to create a harmful eye infection – Acanthamoeba keratitis – that can cause eye redness, pain, tearing, blurred vision, light sensitivity and eye inflammation for several days.

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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