In instances of chemical or infectious agent exposure to the eyes, immediately flush with water for at least fifteen minutes.
Follow this procedure:
Use an eye wash when possible so that hands are free to hold the eyes open. If an eyewash is not available, pour water on the eye, rinsing from the nose outward to avoid contamination of the unaffected eye.
Hold eyelids away from your eyeball and rotate your eyes so that all surfaces may be washed thoroughly.
Seek medical attention regardless of the severity or apparent lack of severity. Explain carefully what chemicals or infectious agents were involved.
Incident Spotlight- NaOH? Uh-OH!
Sodium Hydroxide is a common chemical used in labs. It is also sometimes referred to as lye when used for cleaning. In May 2017, a student at another college was transporting a beaker of the chemical across campus and a drop splashed into his eye. Covering his face with one hand, he ran around the room looking for an emergency eyewash. There wasn’t one. So he dodged down the hallway and thirty seconds later, he was able to flush his face with water. But his cornea had already been severely burned.
Especially when working with corrosives, it's important to make sure a working eyewash is nearby at all times. If transporting corrosives make sure they are in a closed container and you are using secondary containment. It may also be a good idea to upgrade to goggles if you aren’t already wearing them!
Do You Flush Your Eyewash Stations?
Most eyewash equipment manufacturers recommend that the eyewash station be operated at least once per week to flush out any sediment or other material that may accumulate in the eyewash plumbing. Weekly flushes are an excellent opportunity to check the overall operation of the eyewash station. Post a checklist next to each eyewash station to signoff each time they are flushed. If your eyewash station is not directly piped to a drainline,use 5-gallon bucket to collect the water discharge.
Sharps Waste
Sharps tend to be tricky to manage in some labs due to their physical hazards, but we must always keep chemical hazards on the mind when managing these wastes as well.
Chemically contaminated sharps are to be sent through the hazardous waste program. Please indicate all chemical contaminants on the waste tag so we can be sure the container is disposed of accordingly.
Red biological sharps containers are handled through the Biosafety program and are separate from the hazardous waste program. More info can be found here .
Blue Fisher Brand boxes are to be used for uncontaminated glassware and sharps ONLY. No chemical or biological hazards are to be present in these containers at any time. Once these containers are full, close the cardboard lid and tape it shut to secure it for transport. We advise lab personnel to ultimately be responsible for bringing these containers to the dumpster for disposal, however talk to your building admin or Facilities Management if further assistance is needed for disposal.
