Assessing Chemical Splashes to the Eyes

It’s a horrible thing to have happen to anyone and completely unnecessary. Most employees who get a chemical splash to the eyes were either wearing no protection or the wrong protection. So what is the wrong protection for chemical splashes? That would be “Safety Glasses” (without an accompanying faceshield). It still amazes me just how many people were unaware that safety glasses are just not allowed when working around chemicals that may splash in your face (indirect vent goggles are the most common option when working around chemicals).

So how do you know if a mandatory eye wash station is needed in the area where you are handling certain chemicals? OSHA states you must perform a Hazard Assessment. Part of this assessment is simply to review the material safety data sheet (MSDS) for a recommendation. If the liquid (or solid) material is corrosive enough to harm the eyes, the MSDS will indicate something to the effect of: “In the event of a chemical splash, flush the eyes for a minimum of 15 minutes.”

You see, the primary science behind whether or not a chemical is going to cause damage to the eye directly relates to the pH of a substance. In general, water has a pH of about 7.0. As you start to go lower on the pH scale, the liquid (or dust) becomes more acidic. A chemical with a pH of 5 or 6 might be thought of as a weak acid and chemicals with a pH of 1 or 2 would be considered a strong acid.

Likewise, a chemical with a pH higher than 7 would be referred to as alkaline or basic, which can be just as corrosive to the eye tissue (some feel it is even more dangerous than acidic splashes). Time is of the essence if you were to be splashed with a liquid (or dust) that had a pH that was not neutral. Just a few seconds might be the difference between permanent eye damage vs. painful eye irritation (depending on the pH of the chemical).

This is why OSHA strongly requires following all aspects of the ANSI standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment (Z358.1-2004). No matter where you are working, it is critical that you start the 15 minute flush to the eyes within 10 seconds. Your sight depends on it.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 at 7:45 am and is filed under Workplace Compliance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.