Where Can You Find a Portable Eye Wash Station?

Industrial safety is of utmost importance. Nowadays, companies don’t risk safety, due to stringent laws related to worker’s compensation. Hence, companies are always ready to spend and enhance the safety standards of the workplace. According to the CDC, it was reported that nearly 2000 US workers per day fell prey to eye injuries. We believe that at least 80% of eye injuries could be easily prevented with the help of eye wash showers & eye wash stations. This article highlights the different types of eye wash equipment and specifically discusses portable eye wash stations. 

Why should you get an Eye Wash Station?

With more than $250 million spent (workers’ comp, medical expenses, etc.) in a year, industries genuinely understand the risks & ensure that their workplaces are the safest havens for their workers. Even engineers implement the best engineering controls & workers don their PPEs, yet there is always a chance of a mishap. What can the companies do? The eyes are the most sensitive sensory organs of humans. 

The reason behind using these backup options is that the initial one minute of contact with the substance with the eyes is highly critical. Before any medical aid arrives, it becomes vital to remove the contamination from the eyes. The best & safest way is to rinse your eyes with plentiful water. The early the substance is removed, the less severe the damage to the eyes. But, one needs to understand that there can still be temporary damage to the eyes.

Why should you get a Portable Eye Wash Station?

If you consider industrial workplaces like chemicals & pharmaceuticals manufacturing or construction, they often have debris flying, contaminated air, etc. Of course, people wear PPE for their safety, but what if it gets bypassed? You install Eye Wash Equipment, but which one do you choose? Yes, it is vital to decide the type of eye wash equipment you decide to get for the workplace.

Types of Eye Wash Stations -

Broadly classified, there are two types of eye wash equipment. The first one is the regular plumbed type of eye wash station & eye wash shower. As the name suggests they are fixed at a particular location. Plumbed eye wash stations are ideal for high risk locations where frequent hazards are expected. The area near plumbed eye wash stations must be highly accessible in all conditions (even at night). Their disadvantages are high cost & lack of flexibility.

The second option you can prefer is the portable eye wash station & eye wash showers. These affordable yet easily movable eye wash stations are the most preferable. They are saviors when it comes to moving them to accident scenes & newly identified high risk zones. So, many companies have switched to portable eye wash stations.

Curious ones can check out the importance of medical eye protection PPE in healthcare industries.

FAQ - What function does the eye wash equipment provide?  

Eye wash stations & showers fulfill the purpose of on-spot contamination removal from the eyes. They are considered an imperative solution when the contaminants trespass the eye protection PPE barrier. They fall in the category of emergency equipment and are hence also called emergency eye wash equipment. Eye wash equipment is mandatory for foolproof emergency eye hazard situations. It is done by flushing eyes with flowing water which helps in the removal of hazardous contaminants along with flowing water. They help in reducing eye damage especially, prevent permanent eye damage which may occur if the first minute of eye contamination is not dealt with properly. According to one’s requirements eye wash equipment is available in a wide range of varieties. The parameters include type, design, size, function, and features. 

Foremost, the classification is based on the direction of water flow. It is categorized into two types. Eye wash showers are where the workers stand beneath the equipment, whereas eye wash fountains are where the workers allow flowing water to enter their eyes. Similarly, based on their flexibility, they are classified into plumbed eye wash stations & portable eye wash stations. 

How do you choose an eye wash station? Where should you locate them?

A proper hazard & risk study must be undertaken to pinpoint hazardous & high risk locations. After these studies are completed, the appropriate selection of eye wash stations must be done by consulting industry experts. For example, if there is a grinding unit in an industry, they can set up a plumbed eye wash station of appropriate design & size. While if there are multiple operations that are seldomly done but possess a high risk of eye injuries, then a portable eye wash station is the best choice. In the high risk zones of chemical splashing, the best consideration would be a portable eye wash shower because it removes the chemical traces on the worker’s body.

FAQ - Why should I invest in Eye wash stations?

Considering an industrial workplace, the employer is responsible for employees' safety. Even employees understand the risks and would demand emergency equipment. Otherwise, one could refer to ANSI/ISEA standards (Z358.1- 2014) which give a detailed description of eye protection emergency equipment. The description discusses details right from their installation to their maintenance, appropriate ways to use them, and training required to operate them. 

Note - If you’re looking for emergency instructions on chemical splashes, consider going through MSDS of chemicals. 

Where Can You Find Portable Eye Wash Stations?

If you are looking to get hold of portable eye wash stations, we highly recommend you choose trustworthy emergency equipment manufacturers. Many manufacturers also provide a complimentary risk assessment & hazard evaluation, which can help you to choose the appropriate eye wash station. Check out our top recommendations.

Haws

Owning at least 8000 distribution locations, Haws offers premium service in the field of emergency eye wash stations, especially portable eye wash stations. Haws was started as a Faucet company by Luther Haws in California. They were the first manufacturers of emergency drench showers & safety eyewash fountains. They are still considered the best in the market owing to their experience, service, and quality.

Eyewash Direct

As their name suggests, they deal in eye wash directly! So, there are no ifs & buts as they are hands down the best in the market when considering the product range & service provided. Eyewash Direct is a marketplace for eye wash equipment where you can explore more than 1000 eye wash equipment manufacturers. They ensure that you follow the updated OSHA/ANSI eye wash standards. They also provide a Resource Center, which comprises all your eye wash equipment buying needs, and can also be referred for information on the safety standards & regulations. Consider it the ocean of eyewash-related information. They also provide a free onsite safety shower & eyewash assessment.

Conclusion

Even a tiny drop of corrosive substance can cause permanent eye damage. Accidental splashes can damage eyes even if one dons PPE. So, companies always ensure that there are eye wash stations or eye wash showers installed. They are kinda a backup option where one uses these eye wash equipment to wash eyes with plenty of water to rinse off the substance that has entered the eyes. In this article, we have cleared the FAQs & doubts which may arise in one’s mind. Stay Healthy! Stay Safe!