Imagine using the eye wash pictured here after splashing a corrosive chemical in your eyes. Along with the chemical fume hood and biological safety cabinet, the eye wash and safety shower are essential for employee safety in the laboratory. Eye washes should be checked and flushed weekly to ensure they are functioning properly.
What can go wrong? The most common problems found while flushing an eye wash include:
- low water pressure
- misdirected water flow
- rust and debris in the water
- extreme water temperatures, either too hot or too cold
The water stream should be high enough to flush both eyes at the same time, and the stream from both nozzles should cross.
If you find a problem with your eye wash, submit a work order via Service2Facilities to have the eye wash evaluated and repaired. Record when your eye wash was flushed and cover your eye wash nozzles with a protective cap to keep dirt and dust off the eye piece.