A chemical splash to the eyes takes less than a second. The damage it causes can last a lifetime.
That’s not being dramatic. That’s the reality. Acid burns, alkali burns, and solvent exposure can cause permanent scarring of the cornea, loss of vision, and in the worst cases, complete blindness. The outcome depends almost entirely on what happens in the first 10 to 15 seconds after the splash.
If the right response happens fast — getting to an eye wash station and starting to flush immediately — the chances of a full recovery go up dramatically. If there’s a delay, if the worker doesn’t know where the station is, if the station doesn’t work, or if the wrong first response is given, the damage gets worse with every passing second.
This is not a situation where you figure things out as you go. You need to know exactly what to do before it happens. So let’s go through it step by step.
The First 10 Seconds Matter More Than Anything
Medical research is very clear on this. The first 10 to 15 seconds after a chemical splash to the eyes are the most critical window for preventing serious injury.
When a corrosive chemical hits the eye, it immediately starts breaking down tissue. Acids cause coagulation damage — they burn the surface but tend to self-limit as the damaged tissue forms a barrier. Alkalis are far more dangerous. They penetrate deeper into the eye tissue and keep causing damage long after the initial contact.
The only way to stop this process is dilution. You need to flush the chemical out of the eye with a large volume of clean water, and you need to start doing it immediately. Not in a minute. Not after you’ve told your supervisor. Not after you’ve read the Safety Data Sheet. Right now.
Every second of delay means more tissue damage. Every second of flushing reduces the concentration of the chemical in the eye. That’s why having a working eye wash station close by — within 10 seconds’ walk — is so critical.
Step by Step — What to Do Immediately After a Chemical Splash
Here’s the exact sequence of actions that should happen when someone gets a chemical splash in the eyes.
Get to the Eye Wash Station Fast
Don’t stop to think. Don’t stop to tell someone. Don’t stop to remove your gloves. Get to the nearest eye wash station as fast as you can.
This is why every worker on your site needs to know where the stations are. If someone gets a splash and has to start looking around for the station, those seconds are gone. Lost. And they’re not coming back.
If the person can’t see — which is likely if the splash was severe — a co-worker should guide them to the station immediately.
Activate the Station and Start Flushing
Push the activation plate or pull the handle. The water should start flowing immediately and stay flowing without needing to be held.
Position both eyes over the nozzles. The water needs to flow directly across the surface of the eyes.
If you’re wearing contact lenses, try to remove them during flushing. Contact lenses can trap chemicals against the eye and prevent proper flushing. If you can’t remove them easily, keep flushing anyway. Don’t waste time struggling with them.
How Long to Flush For
The standard recommendation is a minimum of 15 minutes of continuous flushing.
Fifteen minutes sounds like a long time when you’re standing at a station with your eyes burning. But it’s not negotiable. Chemicals — particularly alkalis — can continue to cause damage even after a short flush. A full 15 minutes of flushing gives the best chance of diluting the chemical to safe levels.
For strong acids and alkalis, some medical guidelines suggest flushing for 20 to 60 minutes. If you’re not sure what chemical caused the splash, default to at least 20 minutes.
Have someone time it. In a high-stress situation, 15 minutes can feel like it’s been forever after just three or four minutes. Use a clock, a phone timer, or have someone count.
Keep Eyes Open During Flushing
This is the hardest part. When a chemical hits your eye, your natural reflex is to squeeze your eyes shut. But closed eyes don’t get flushed.
The injured person needs to hold their eyelids open with their fingers — or have a co-worker help them keep their eyes open — so the water can flow across the entire surface of the eye. They need to roll their eyes around during flushing so the water reaches every part — under the upper lid, under the lower lid, and into the corners.
It’s uncomfortable. It burns. But it’s the single most important thing they can do to reduce the severity of the injury.
What NOT to Do After a Chemical Splash
Just as important as knowing what to do is knowing what not to do. Wrong actions can make the injury worse.
Do not rub the eyes. Rubbing can drive the chemical deeper into the tissue and cause more damage.
Do not try to neutralise the chemical. You might think pouring an acid on an alkali burn or vice versa would help. It doesn’t. It causes a heat reaction that adds thermal burns on top of the chemical burn. Flush with clean water only.
Do not use anything other than clean water or sterile saline. No milk. No baking soda solution. No vinegar. Water. That’s it.
Do not apply eye drops, ointments, or bandages unless directed by a medical professional. The priority is flushing.
Do not let the person drive themselves to the hospital. Their vision may be impaired, and the pain and stress will affect their ability to drive safely.
Acid Splash vs Alkali Splash — Why It Matters
Not all chemical splashes are equal. The type of chemical determines how much damage it does and how long you need to flush.
Acid burns are painful and cause immediate visible damage, but they tend to be self-limiting. The damaged tissue forms a coagulum — basically a barrier — that slows further penetration of the acid. Acids include hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid, acetic acid, and phosphoric acid.
Alkali burns are the opposite. They don’t form a barrier. Instead, they saponify — break down — the fats in the eye tissue and keep penetrating deeper. By the time the pain kicks in, the alkali has already done significant damage below the surface. Alkalis include sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), potassium hydroxide, ammonia, and calcium hydroxide (lime).
This is why alkali splashes require longer flushing times — 20 to 60 minutes compared to 15 to 20 minutes for acids. And it’s why alkali splashes tend to cause more severe and lasting damage.
If your workplace handles alkali substances, make sure your eye wash stations are closer, your team is trained, and your flushing protocols are for the extended time period.
After Flushing — What Happens Next
Flushing is the immediate first response. But it’s not the end of the process.
Getting Medical Attention
After flushing, the injured person needs to see a medical professional — ideally an ophthalmologist — as soon as possible. Even if the eye looks okay after flushing, there could be underlying damage that’s not visible yet.
Take the Safety Data Sheet for the chemical with you to the hospital or clinic. The treating doctor needs to know exactly what chemical was involved, its concentration, and its pH level. This information determines the treatment plan.
Do not assume that successful flushing means the person is fine. Always get a medical assessment.
Reporting the Incident
Every chemical splash incident must be reported, documented, and investigated. This is a legal requirement in South Africa under the Occupational Health and Safety Act.
Record what happened, when it happened, what chemical was involved, what first response was given, how long the eyes were flushed, and what medical treatment followed.
Investigate the cause. Why did the splash happen? Was the worker wearing proper eye protection? Was the chemical being handled correctly? Was there a failure in the process or equipment?
Use the findings to prevent it from happening again. That might mean changing a procedure, upgrading PPE, adding a spill kit to the area, or repositioning your eye wash station closer to the hazard.
Where Your Eye Wash Station Should Be Located
The ANSI Z358.1 standard — which SANS 10265 is based on — specifies that an eye wash station should be within 10 seconds’ travel time from any location where a chemical splash could occur. On a flat, clear floor, that works out to roughly 16 metres.
But 10 seconds is the maximum. Closer is better. If you can put the station right next to the chemical handling area, do it.
The path to the station must be clear at all times. No obstacles. No locked doors. No stairs if possible. A worker with chemicals in their eyes can’t see where they’re going. The path needs to be straight, level, and unobstructed.
The station should be well lit and clearly signed. Use high-visibility signage that can be seen from a distance. The sign should be visible even if the lights are dim or the area is smoky.
If your facility handles chemicals in multiple areas, you need multiple eye wash stations. One station in the safety office at the other end of the building is not good enough.
Training Your Team for Chemical Splash Emergencies
You can have the best eye wash stations on the market, but if your people don’t know how to react, the equipment is useless.
Every worker who handles or works near chemicals needs to be trained on the following.
The location of every eye wash station on site. Walk them there. Make them activate it. Let them feel how it works.
How to activate the station with one hand. In an emergency, the other hand will be covering the injured eye or guiding the person to the station.
How long to flush and why the full duration matters. Drill this into them. Fifteen minutes minimum. Twenty or more for alkalis.
How to help a co-worker who has been splashed. Guiding them to the station, helping them hold their eyes open, timing the flushing, and calling for medical help.
What to do after flushing. Getting medical attention, bringing the Safety Data Sheet, and reporting the incident.
Run practice drills. Not just once a year — at least once a quarter. A drill takes 10 minutes. That 10 minutes could save someone’s sight.
Don’t just do classroom training. Get your people in front of the actual eye wash station. Let them activate it. Let them feel the water flow. Let them practice keeping their eyes open under the stream. The first time they use the station should not be during a real emergency.
Include chemical splash response in your induction programme for every new worker. Don’t wait until they’ve been on site for weeks. From their first day, they should know where the nearest station is and how to get there.
And make sure your response plan accounts for after-hours scenarios. If a splash happens during a night shift when fewer people are on site, who takes charge? Who calls for medical assistance? Who fills out the incident report? These are questions that need answers before the incident happens, not during it.
Making Sure Your Eye Wash Station Is Ready When You Need It
An eye wash station is a piece of equipment you hope you’ll never need to use. But if that day comes, it needs to work perfectly. No hesitation. No failures.
That means weekly flushing, monthly inspections, clean nozzles, tested activation mechanisms, clear access paths, proper signage, and trained workers who know exactly what to do.
Keep spill kits and drip trays in your chemical handling areas to prevent spills from becoming splash incidents. Keep your eye wash stations maintained and ready.
When a chemical splash happens, the clock starts ticking. The only question is whether you’re ready for it. Make sure the answer is yes.