First Aid Only Eyewash Stations: Jobsite Eye Safety

Personal eyewash bottles are your first line of defense. They're small, portable, and perfect for immediate flushing while you get to a bigger station.

1 oz bottles like the First Aid Only 7-008-001 or K708 are compact enough to keep in a tool belt, first aid kit, or truck. They provide quick relief from dust, debris, or minor irritants. The H703 package gives you a dozen 1 oz bottles, perfect for distributing across multiple trucks or crew members.

4 oz bottles like the 7-006 give you more flushing capacity. They're still portable but provide longer flushing time. Some come in kits with eye pads and bandage strips, like the 7-600, which is useful for treating minor eye injuries.

When to use personal bottles: mobile crews, light-duty work, as backup to larger stations, or in truck first aid kits.

Wall-mounted bottle stations work well for shops, job trailers, and smaller facilities. They're easy to install, don't require plumbing, and meet ANSI requirements when used correctly.

Single 16 oz stations like the 24-000-001 provide enough solution for one person to flush both eyes. The Single 16 oz. Eye Wash Station with a 25 Person First Aid Kit provides an OSHA-compliant first aid solution. Eye Wash solution helps to clear eyes of foreign material such as dust, pollen, and chemicals, and to relieve itching and burning of the eyes and skin. Tamper-evident bottles are FDA-approved and ensure sterility of the eyewash solution.

These are popular for small shops, service trucks with mounted stations, or low-hazard areas. The 24-500-001 comes with an OSHA first aid kit attached, giving you eye care and general first aid in one unit.

Double 16 oz stations like the 24-102-001 give you two bottles in one station. This provides backup if one bottle gets used or contaminated. It also works if two workers need eyewash at the same time, though this is rare.

Single 32-oz stations like the 24-202-001 provide more flushing capacity for one person. A bottle of sterile isotonic buffered solution for washing, flushing, and irrigating the eyes and skin helps clear the eyes of foreign material such as dust, pollen, and chemicals, and relieve itching and burning. 

The plastic squeeze bottle and nozzle help create a fluid stream to direct the solution into the affected areas. These work well in areas with higher chemical exposure or when you want a longer flushing time available.

Double 32 oz stations like the 24-300-001 give you maximum capacity in a portable bottle station. Use these in fabrication shops, plumbing shops, or anywhere workers handle aggressive chemicals regularly.

Triple bottle stations like the 24-308 provide three 8-oz bottles. While each bottle is smaller, having three gives you options for multiple users or extended flushing. Bottles of sterile isotonic buffered solution for washing, flushing, and irrigating the eyes and skin help clear the eyes of foreign material such as dust, pollen, and chemicals and relieve itching and burning.

When you work with dangerous chemicals or need to meet full ANSI compliance, gravity-fed stations are your best choice.

The 16-gallon gravity-fed station (91288) provides a full 15 minutes of flushing for one person or 7.5 minutes for two people. It doesn't need electricity or plumbing as it works by filling the tank with potable water and mounting it where you need it. The water flows by gravity when you activate the station.

These stations operate in remote locations, temporary job sites, or permanent facilities without easy access to plumbing. They're popular in industrial facilities, chemical storage areas, and metal fabrication shops.

The HAWS 15-minute eyewash station (M7501), on the other hand, is another professional-grade plumbed station that meets full ANSI requirements. This portable gravity-operated eyewash station features a 9-gallon capacity. 

This is an FDA-approved high-density green polyethylene tank that provides for a full 15 minutes of full pattern flushing at .4 GPM. It is certified by CSA to meet the ANSI Z358.1 Standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment. 

This is what you'll find in serious industrial facilities where chemical exposure is a daily risk when on the jobsite.

Flushing is critical, but you also need supplies to treat eye injuries after the initial emergency response.

Sterile eye cups (7-110 or 7-111) help rinse eyes thoroughly. They create a seal around the eye so you can flush properly. The 10-pack (7-110) works for facilities with multiple workers. Single-use cups (7-111) are better for small crews or infrequent use.

Non-sterile eye cups (7-1100 or M795) work for less critical situations or as backup supplies. They cost less but don't meet medical sterility standards.

Sterile eye pads with adhesive strips (7-200 or 7-002-001) protect injured eyes after flushing. They keep debris out and hold the eye closed if needed while getting medical help.

Eye drops (M702) soothe irritated eyes after minor exposure to dust or debris. They're not for chemical burns, but they help with general eye irritation that happens on jobsites.

Lens cleaning wipes (91294 for 50-count or 91295 for 100-count) keep safety glasses clean so workers actually wear them. Dirty safety glasses are safety glasses that end up on top of your hard hat instead of protecting your eyes.

Contact lens cases (7-402) help workers who wear contacts remove them before flushing their eyes. Chemicals can get trapped under contact lenses, so removing them is important during an eye emergency.

The Eye Care Treatment Pack (91168) bundles multiple eye care items in one package. It's useful for first aid kits or facilities that want everything in one spot.

OSHA's regulation is clear. There is no rule-breaking when it comes to these regulations and it can mean life or death without them.

This requirement applies whenever employees work with corrosive materials, irritants, or other substances that can injure eyes. This includes:

• Acids and alkalis
• Cement and concrete
• Drain cleaners and degreasers
• Solvents and paint thinners
• Metal dust and grinding debris
• Battery acid
• Refrigerants
• Any material with a hazard warning for eye contact
  

If the safety data sheet (SDS) says to flush eyes after exposure, you need eyewash equipment nearby.

ANSI Z358.1 is the standard that covers emergency eyewash and shower equipment. 

The most important rule: eyewash stations must be within 10 seconds or 55 feet of the hazard.

Why 10 seconds? Because every second counts when chemicals are burning your eyes.

An injured worker should be able to reach the eyewash station in 10 seconds without having to open doors, go up stairs, or navigate obstacles. 

This means if you're working with drain cleaner in a basement bathroom, you need eyewash in that basement. If you're mixing concrete on the third floor of a building, you need eyewash on that floor.

Plumbed eyewash stations connect directly to your water supply. They provide 15 minutes of continuous flushing, which is what ANSI requires for full compliance.

 ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014 is built on widely accepted medical guidance stating that a continuous 15-minute rinse with proper flushing fluid is the most effective immediate response for minimizing damage from corrosive or caustic chemical splashes. 

This standard essentially sets the benchmark for what real emergency first aid should look like in these situations, emphasizing the importance of a thorough, uninterrupted flush. These work well in permanent shops, fabrication facilities, and industrial settings.

Portable stations include gravity-fed tanks and bottled eyewash units. They work for temporary jobsites, remote locations, or as backup to plumbed stations. While they may not provide a full 15 minutes of flushing, they're better than nothing and often required in construction work.

Personal eyewash bottles (1 oz to 4 oz) are for immediate response while getting to a full eyewash station. They're not a replacement for larger stations, but they're critical for first response.

Eye injuries can end careers. They can also cost your company serious money in medical bills, insurance claims, and OSHA fines. But they're preventable with the right equipment and proper training.

Start with understanding your hazards. What chemicals do you use? What kind of debris do workers face? How many people need protection?

Then match your eyewash setup to those hazards. Small crews can start simple with bottle stations and portable units. Larger operations or facilities with aggressive chemicals need gravity-fed or plumbed stations.

Eye safety isn't complicated, but it requires planning and the right equipment. Take the time to set up your jobsite correctly. Your crew's eyesight depends on it.