What OSHA requires (29 CFR 1910.151(c))
OSHA requires facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body wherever a person’s eyes or body may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, inside the work area and ready for immediate use. The rule is a single sentence, and it doesn’t define “suitable.”
“Where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use.” 29 CFR 1910.151(c)
Construction sites have the same requirement in nearly the same words under 29 CFR 1926.50(g), and a few other OSHA standards require eyewash too, including the rules for HIV and HBV research laboratories (1910.1030(e)(3)(i)) and for formaldehyde (1910.1048(i)(3)).
Two OSHA interpretations mark the edges of the rule. A chemical that’s only an irritant, not corrosive, doesn’t trigger 1910.151(c), so check the safety data sheet for each product you use. And personal protective equipment doesn’t replace an eyewash: OSHA has said it won’t accept PPE in place of an eyewash or safety shower, whatever the environment.
How OSHA judges “suitable”
OSHA hasn’t adopted ANSI Z358.1 and doesn’t enforce it directly. But it may refer to the most recent consensus standard when it decides whether a station is suitable, and it has said that an eyewash that complies with the ANSI standard will usually meet the intent of its rule. It also expects employers to assess their own conditions, such as the temperature of the water.
What ANSI Z358.1 adds
ANSI/ISEA Z358.1 is the consensus standard for emergency eyewash and shower equipment, and it turns OSHA’s “suitable” into measurable requirements for location, flow, temperature and inspection. The current edition is ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014, reaffirmed in 2020.
- Location: reachable in no more than 10 seconds, on the same level as the hazard, along a path without obstructions. ISEA, which maintains the standard, puts 10 seconds at about 55 feet for an average person. Where strong acids or caustics are used, OSHA notes the station should be right next to the hazard.
- Flow: at least 0.4 gallons (1.5 liters) per minute for 15 minutes, started with a single movement and then hands-free.
- Activation: the valve goes on in one second or less and stays on.
- Temperature: tepid flushing fluid, which ISEA defines as 60°F to 100°F (16°C to 38°C).
- Inspection: plumbed stations activated weekly, and every station inspected once a year.
Emergency showers have their own figures in the same standard, including a flow of 20 gallons per minute for 15 minutes. The standard itself is copyrighted and sold by ANSI, so the numbers here come from OSHA’s and ISEA’s published descriptions of it.
Plumbed vs. self-contained stations
A plumbed eyewash station is permanently connected to a source of potable water; a self-contained station holds its own flushing fluid and is the portable kind. Both have to meet the same flow and duration requirements.
Plumbed stations draw from the building’s water supply, so they never run out, but water sitting in the line can stagnate and its temperature depends on the supply. That’s why the standard calls for activating them every week: it confirms fluid reaches the nozzles and flushes the line.
Self-contained stations are stand-alone units that carry their own flushing fluid, such as potable water, preserved water or a preserved buffered saline. They can go where there’s no plumbing, they’re refilled or replaced after use, and OSHA says they must be maintained according to the manufacturer. Sealed fluid cartridges carry an expiration date.
Personal wash bottles are only a supplement. They can start flushing on the way to a station, but they don’t meet the requirement on their own: OSHA has said that four-ounce bottles are insufficient to flush the eyes properly.
So, true or false: a plumbed eyewash station is portable? False. Being permanently connected to the water supply is what makes it plumbed.
How to use an eyewash station
Get to the station within seconds, push the valve, and hold your eyes open in the flow, keeping them there for as long as the chemical requires. Then follow the chemical’s safety data sheet and get medical attention.
- Go straight to it. A compliant station is within about 10 seconds of the hazard. Call out for help as you go.
- Push the valve. A single movement starts the flow, and it stays on by itself, so both hands are free to hold your eyes open.
- Keep flushing. Stations are built to deliver fluid for 15 minutes, so don’t stop after a quick splash. The safety data sheet for the chemical tells you its first-aid measures.
- Get medical attention and report the exposure to your supervisor.
- Reset the station. Refill or replace a self-contained unit’s fluid after use, and record the incident.
Training is part of the requirement in practice: people should know where the nearest station is, and that the path to it is kept clear, before they ever need it.
Weekly and annual inspection checklist
Activate plumbed stations weekly to confirm fluid flows and to flush the line, and inspect every station, plumbed or self-contained, at least once a year against the full standard. OSHA itself doesn’t set a schedule, but it points to these ANSI checks.
This weekly checklist is the one AED Log ships by default, and the same questions are on our free printable checklist and weekly tag:
- Was the station activated and flushed this period?
- Does fluid flow from both nozzles?
- Is the flow adequate and even?
- Is the fluid clear and acceptable?
- Is the water tepid (approx. 60–100°F)?
- Is access to the station unobstructed?
- Are the protective nozzle covers in place?
- Is the signage present and visible?
- For self-contained units: is the flushing fluid within its expiration date? (self-contained units only)
The annual inspection goes further and checks the station against everything in the standard: its location and travel time, its height, flow and duration, the fluid temperature, signs and lighting, and the condition of the unit. Many employers use the manufacturer’s inspection guide or a qualified service provider for it.
Download the free eyewash station inspection checklist and weekly tag to hang on each station.
Tracking eyewash inspections automatically
AED Log tracks each eyewash station as its own unit with the weekly checklist above, records who checked it and when, and alerts the responsible people when a check is overdue or fails.
Self-contained stations also track their flushing fluid’s expiration date, so a refill is due before the fluid expires. If someone uses a station, the incident report records the exposure, the body area, how long they flushed and whether they needed medical attention.
Eyewash station tracking is an add-on at $10 per station per year, on top of an AED plan, and it sits next to the first aid cabinets and fire extinguishers in the same account. See eyewash station inspection software.
Eyewash station requirements FAQ
A plumbed eyewash station is portable: true or false?
False. A plumbed eyewash station is permanently connected to a source of potable water, so it stays in place. A self-contained station, which holds its own flushing fluid, is the portable kind.
Does OSHA require ANSI Z358.1?
Not directly. OSHA's rule, 29 CFR 1910.151(c), requires suitable eyewash facilities but hasn't adopted ANSI Z358.1. OSHA may use the standard to judge what's suitable, and says a station that meets it will usually meet OSHA's rule.
How far can an eyewash station be from the hazard?
Close enough to reach in no more than 10 seconds, on the same level as the hazard, along a clear path, according to OSHA's reading of ANSI Z358.1. ISEA puts 10 seconds at about 55 feet. For strong acids or caustics, put it right next to the hazard.
How often should an eyewash station be checked?
ANSI Z358.1 calls for plumbed eyewash stations to be activated weekly and for every station to be inspected once a year. AED Log's default eyewash checklist runs weekly, and self-contained units also track their flushing-fluid expiration.
Is AED Log certified to ANSI Z358.1?
No. ANSI doesn't certify software. AED Log's default checklist follows the standard's weekly activation check, and you can edit the questions to match your own procedure.