Safe and Effective Eyewash Bottles

1. Whenever work involves a hazard to the eyes, access to an eyewash station or eyewash bottles to flush out foreign objects is very important to prevent eye injuries.

2. Types of eyewash options include plumbed, portable and bottles. Plumbed are permanently connected to water lines while portable options are tanks that can be filled and moved around. Bottles are sealed, portable, and disposable. All types of eyewash options have benefits and drawbacks.

3. Eyewash bottles are the most convenient as they can be easily moved and placed right next to the work creating the eye hazard.

4. However, bottles are only for one time use. They are sealed and once opened, bacteria can be introduced to the solution which is not good for an eye already in distress. If the seal is broken, either purposefully or accidentally, they have to be replaced.

5. Another drawback to using bottles is if a hazard enters the eye, it needs to be rinsed for 15 minutes. One eyewash bottle will not last for 15 minutes, so make sure there is another eyewash option close by to allow the full 15 minute wash as required.

6. Inspect the bottles weekly to ensure the seal has not been broken and sign the inspection tag. The signature on the inspection tag lets workers know that the eye wash bottles have been inspected and are ready in case of an emergency.

7. When completing an inspection, check that there are enough bottles in the area. Keep track of how many should be at each station and replace if there are any missing.

8. Where are the eye wash bottles for our work, and when would we need to use them?

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