Friday 26 February 2016

Attributes Of Effective Self Contained Eyewash Stations

By Jessica Green


Emergencies are common occurrences at the workstation. This may include the entry of harmful substances into the eyes. A functioning self contained eyewash station is important in ensuring that damage to the eyes is minimized during accidents. This is an emergency unit installed to prevent harm and reduce the effect of harmful substances to the eyes.

At any time, the station should be accessible especially during accidents. All employees or anyone around the vicinity must be able to access it with little trouble. They also need to be concentrated in places where there is a high possibility of calamities during accidents. This will ensure as much people as possible can use it. Centrality of the location is vital in ensuring easy accessibility during catastrophes.

Objects that could hinder the immediate use of the station must be avoided when they are being installed. Such obstructions include fences that might limit human movement during accidents. Sign posts must also be set up nearby so that it can be easily identifiable. The sign posts must be in bold colors and in a language that can be easily understood. They should be in different languages to cater for those who do not have a grasp of language spoken in the locality.

The cost of setting up and maintaining the station should also be manageable. This is because they require weekly maintenance to ensure proper operation and to pump away any buildup that might form in the system due to stagnation. This can be time be strenuous both financially and physically and therefore the cost of setting up and running it ought to be within the set budget to prevent unnecessary costs.

It should also be easy to operate. An on-off valve should also be installed so that the system can be activated with a single motion and in shortest time possible. Complicated systems are hard to operate and simplifying its operation is important in preventing adverse calamities in event of an emergency. The on-off valve in the station should be placed at a position that anyone can easily locate and operate during emergencies

Portability is also an important quality in an eyewash station. This means that it must be light and easy to transport to areas that might not be accessible such as hilly terrains. Heavy stations are not only cumbersome to operate and transport but also require huge maintenance costs. The more portable it is, the easier it is to transport it to area where for instance workers cannot move by themselves during emergencies.

Cleaning agents should also be mixed in a clean and bacteria free environment. This is because eyes are very sensitive organs of the body and washing them with infected cleaning agents might cause further harm including blindness. The mixture must also be made early in anticipation of any accidents that could occur. Furthermore an ambulance should be stationed closely to facilitate easy transportation of victims adversely affected by the accident.

Cleaning agents should also flow consistently so that it can remove any harmful particles from the eyes. There should be a consistent flow of the cleaning agent for fifteen to twenty minutes to wash off all chemicals from the eyes and avert further damage.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment