Hazardous Materials and Chemical Eye Injuries in the Workplace

Working in an environment with hazardous materials nearby should be protocol-driven with oversight. Workers in this environment should be involved in safety training and demonstrate full competency of the protocols before they engage. Additionally, when things do go wrong (and they sometimes will) there should be a system in place for a formal review of the events and for workers to provide feedback. Without such a system we are destined to repeat the mistakes of the past.?

OSHA, Hazardous Material Rules and Your Workplace

The Federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration, aka OSHA, has rules and regulations in place for a system of safety. While OSHA has spread its work site spill guidelines across OSHA’s general rules for Hazardous Materials, the most complete “one-stop shop” set of OSHA rules governing hazardous material spills are found in the realm of hazardous waste site cleanup.

This System of Safety is structured here in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 29, Occupational Safety and Health Standards Subpart H (Hazardous Materials). The overall theme of these rules govern Safety, Training, and Disposal Programs.

OSHA’s primary Eyewash Standard is found in 29 CFR 1910.151 and states “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.”

Chemical eye injuries come in many different forms: exposure to hydrocarbons, adhesives to solvents, acids, and alkali. Every chemical capable of causing harm that exists in your work area should have a corresponding Safety Data Sheet (SDS) made freely accessible. Section 4 of the SDS lays out the necessary First-Aid measures that should be taken when an exposure to that specific chemical has occurred.?

Fortunately, the average chemical exposure does not typically result in permanent injury. The human eye is equipped with the necessary structure and function to start decontamination immediately upon exposure. However, if you work in an environment utilizing industrial-strength chemicals, you may be at risk for a chemical eye injury beyond the average.

Chemical Injury Patterns

It is nearly universal that ocular exposures to harmful chemicals start with eyewashing.

“The Solution to Pollution is Dilution” applies when decontaminating the eyes. The length of time and endpoints to eye washing varies with each chemical. This often comes down to first considering whether the chemical is an acid or an alkali. Secondly, a consideration of the strength of acidity or alkalinity represented in the pH value must be made.

With the exception of Hydrofluoric Acid, when human tissues are exposed to acids, an injury pattern known as Coagulative Necrosis ensues. This pattern is characterized based on the injury to lipids and proteins forming a layer of Coagulation at the base of the injured tissues. This layer of Coagulation is known to form a barrier that often stops the advancement of acid injury to deeper tissues.

Conversely, strong Alkalines cause an injury pattern known as Liquefactive Necrosis. Liquefactive Necrosis advances into deeper tissues as the proteins transform into a liquid/viscous mass. Consequently, alkaline injuries to the eyes are more likely to result in a deeper injury and take longer to decontaminate. Tissues injured by strong alkalines may initially appear to be a mild injury, only to find that as time goes on the tissues begin to slough away as the full scope of necrosis reveals itself.

Hydrofluoric acid burns are just as unique in their pattern of injury as they are destructive and toxic to human tissues. These exposures warrant seeking medical care at a hospital urgently. It is appropriate to start with eyewashing as it is a universal maneuver for chemical eye injuries.? Hydrofluoric acid is used in the production of high octane fuel, etching and frosting glass, semiconductors, micro-electronics/micro-instruments, germacydes, dyes, plastics, tanning, and fireproofing material, cleaning brick and stone.

Hydrofluoric acid is unique in that it causes a progressive injury to tissues much like a strong alkali would. This unique acid causes burns in two ways.? First, Hydrogen ions (H+) are released upon contact and cause direct tissue damage. Secondly, the free Fluoride ions then immobilize calcium and magnesium thereby shutting down cellular function. After an immediate eyewash at the worksite, Hydrofluoric Acid ocular injuries warrant an immediate Ophthalmologic and Toxicologic consultation at a hospital.

If hazardous materials are present at your job site, your full engagement in your company’s Hazardous Materials Safety Training Program is key to your own safety, and that of those around you. Learn which chemicals are around and become familiar with their corresponding safety data sheets ahead of time.?