Emergency Eyewash Stations Toolbox Talk

Emergency eyewash stations are critical when chemicals, dust, slurry, fuels, solvents, cleaners, or other hazardous materials get into a worker’s eyes. Eye injuries can happen in seconds, and delays caused by blocked access, empty bottles, dirty water, or not knowing where to go can make the injury worse.

This talk focuses on locating eyewash stations before work starts, keeping access clear, checking that stations are ready, and knowing what to do if a worker gets material in their eyes.

Why This Matters

• Chemical splashes, dust, concrete slurry, metal particles, and contaminated water can cause serious eye damage.
• Workers need to reach eyewash quickly without searching, climbing over materials, or passing through other hazards.
• Eyewash stations must be clean, accessible, and able to provide proper flushing when needed.
• Small containers or personal eyewash bottles may help during initial response but do not replace a proper eyewash station when one is required.
• Knowing the eyewash location before exposure starts saves time during an emergency.

Common Hazards

• Eyewash stations blocked by pallets, equipment, gang boxes, hoses, vehicles, stored materials, or locked doors.
• Portable eyewash units that are empty, dirty, expired, frozen, damaged, leaking, or not pressurized.
• Workers handling chemicals without knowing the nearest eyewash location.
• Using chemicals, coatings, adhesives, cleaners, fuels, or solvents without splash goggles or face protection.
• Assuming a sink, water bottle, cooler, or bathroom is enough for emergency eye flushing.
• An eyewash station moved during site changes, leaving the crew farther away than expected during a splash emergency.

Safety Checklist

Before Work Begins

• Identify the chemicals, dusts, slurries, or materials that could reach the eyes during the task.
• Locate the nearest eyewash station and make sure every worker knows how to get there.
• Keep the path to the eyewash station clear, marked, and accessible at all times.
• Check that the eyewash station is clean, working, filled, charged, protected from freezing, and ready for use.
• Review the safety data sheet and first aid instructions for eye exposure.
• Confirm required eye and face protection, such as splash goggles and face shields, is available and worn correctly.

During Work

• Do not block, move, cover, or disconnect an eyewash station without approval and a replacement plan.
• Keep chemical handling, mixing, spraying, pumping, and transfer areas close enough to emergency flushing as required by the site plan.
• Use splash goggles and face shields when pouring, mixing, spraying, pressure washing, or opening chemical containers.
• If material enters the eyes, get to the eyewash immediately and start flushing.
• Hold eyelids open while flushing and continue as directed by the safety data sheet or emergency response plan.
• Report all eye exposures right away, even if the worker feels better after flushing.

Crew Talking Points

• Where is the closest eyewash station for today’s work area?
• Is the path to the eyewash station clear and easy to reach?
• What tasks today could cause chemical splash, dust, slurry, or debris to reach the eyes?
• What eye and face protection is required before those tasks start?
• Who will guide an exposed worker to the eyewash and call for help if needed?
• Speak up if the eyewash station is blocked, empty, dirty, frozen, damaged, missing, or too far from the work area.

Stop Work If

• A required eyewash station is missing, blocked, empty, dirty, frozen, damaged, leaking, or not working.
• Workers do not know where the eyewash station is located.
• The path to the eyewash station is blocked, locked, poorly lit, or unsafe to travel.
• Required splash goggles, face shields, gloves, or chemical PPE are not available.
• Chemicals are being used without the safety data sheet, first aid steps, or emergency plan available.
• A worker gets material in their eyes and has not been evaluated according to the site emergency procedure.

Final Reminder

An eyewash station only helps if it is ready and reachable. Know where it is, keep the path clear, and start flushing immediately if material gets in the eyes.