Supplies You Need for Your Eye Wash Station

According to the Health and Safety Executive, more than 441,000 workers suffered an injury at work in 2020/2021. These accidents not only come at a personal cost to the worker, but there is a cost to businesses too.

Many of these accidents result in eye injuries, which can lead to full or partial blindness. Around 90% of eye injuries are preventable, making it extremely vital to ensure health and safety regulations are followed. But unfortunately, as not all eye injuries can be prevented, having facilities like eye wash stations means swift action can be taken in the event of an accident.

What supplies do you need for an eye wash station in your workplace? Read our guide and make sure your workplace has everything you need.

Does your workplace need an eye wash station?

Different workplaces are at risk of different hazards. A construction site, for example, will have different risks compared to a shop floor or a hospital. A risk assessment is the best way to determine your workplace’s potential hazards, allowing you to put measures in place to prevent the risks as much as possible.

Completing a risk assessment will help you determine if an eye wash station is required at your workplace. An eyewash station may be required if:

• Workers are at risk of exposure to chemicals, particularly corrosive or abrasive chemicals.
• Workers work with machinery and are at the risk of injury from moving parts or sharp features.
• Workers are at risk of exposure to heat or flames that could lead to burns.

Eye wash stations are commonly seen at hospitals, medical and dental practices, factories, labs, commercial kitchens, schools, warehouses and waste management facilities. They should be placed near areas of potential risk and checked regularly to make sure there are adequate supplies.

Once you have an eye wash station installed, make sure that all employees know where it is located. They should also be provided with training and guidance as to how to use the station correctly, and what to do in the event of an emergency.

What supplies do you need for an eye wash station?

Having a stocked and ready eye wash station could have a significant impact in the event of an accident. Some of the key eye wash station supplies you’ll need are:

• Clear signage identifying the eye wash station.
• An eye wash station kit.
• Bottled sterile saline solutions.
• Safe waste disposal units.

You might also want to consider investing in a portable eye wash kit in the event of an accident off-site, or where the victim is too far away to reach the installed eye wash station.

Many people locate their eye wash stations next to their first aid supplies. This could help treat multiple injuries if there are multiple types of injury needing treatment.

Advice for preventing eye injuries at work

It’s your duty as an employer to prevent accidents at work. With the majority of eye injuries being preventable, it’s important that you put measures in place to keep your employees safe from harm. Some tips for preventing eye injuries at work include:

• Understand the hazards and mitigate risks.
• Provide employees with adequate eye protection. The HSE has guidance on using the right PPE at work.
• Carry out regular inspections of equipment, machinery and health and safety equipment.
• Provide employees with the right training to use the equipment correctly and prevent accidents.
• Place eye wash stations in locations where eye injuries are a risk.
• Provide employees with eye and eyesight tests to help them keep on top of their vision.

With the right measures, you can reduce the risk of eye injuries in the workplace, helping you maintain a safe working environment for everyone.

Buy eye wash station supplies from phs Direct

phs Direct supplies everything you need to install an eye wash station at your workplace. We sell wall-mountable eye wash stations, portable stations and various other supplies you could need to act quickly and treat an eye injury.

We also sell healthcare supplies that could help you treat a range of workplace injuries, providing crucial first aid that could save someone’s life. From f

We provide a complete business solution for our clients. This includes a free Consumables Audit, an in-depth review of your organisation’s hygiene consumables buying patterns. This will help analyse your spending and consumption so that we can make recommendations that will save you money.

Take a look at our full range of healthcare hygiene services or talk to our team for further information about our products.