Eyeaid eyewash (both eyes)

Eyewash and first aid:

is the aid regular people can offer a wounded before a professional can take over the treatment. This is  why it is very important that first aid is user friendly and simple to use, and that it does not need a lot of instruction, when TIME is the most important factor to save one’s sight.

It is in particular important to consider the eyewash solution itself – if an accident happens and someone has gotten something in their eyes which should not be there, it is too late to find out, that the appropriate, sufficient and preventine supplies are not at place.

Necessary eyewash bottles

It is generally important to know the risk of the drugs or materials which are processed in the specific workplace. This means every workplace should be furnished with the necessary eyewash bottles and preventive measures, and in every case, decisions about the specific workplace based on the risk and type of material and the surrounding conditions should be considered.

Eyewash requirements:

“Where there is risk of exposure with infectious materials or with drugs or materials, which is in consideration of safety or health are important to have quickly removed from the skin or stop the spread of, there must be appropriate and sufficient help supplies in the vicinity of the workplace, such as eyewash bottles, emergency showers and special cleansing supplies.”

Eyewash workplaces:

In workplaces where chemicals are processed, there must be sufficient amount of eyewash fluid, so that eyes can be washed during transportation to a doctor.

By every form of eye corrosion the eyewash must continue until a doctor or an emergency room take over the treatment. The existence of mobile eyewash bottles is therefore necessary, as it must be possible to wash the eyes during transportation.

The eyewash fluid must be functional, so the fluid/eyewash bottles must be stored with no risk of freezing.

In general it can be said, that there should be enough fluid, so that it is possible to wash both eyes, if there is a risk of exposure of both eyes.

The chemicals/drugs safety data information should be included in the assessment of what is an appropriate and sufficient amount of eyewash fluid.

Where it is essential that the eyewash happens quick and the selected solution is the bottles of eyewash, it can be necessary that the bottles of eyewash are able to be applied by using one hand, thus the person can wash both eyes simultaneously without help.  

REACH Safety-guidance:

What regards specific guidance for the employer, REACH can draw attention to the following: The employer receives the safety data information related the dangerous drugs and material that are worked in the workplace. Section 4 in the safety data information revolves around first aid preparations, both in a general matter, and for every single way of exposure, such as the eyes. In this point it must be informed how the first aid should be done, and the employer must use and implement this information in his or her company.