Experts warn that routine activation checks may confirm eyewash functionality without addressing hidden contamination risks inside low-use plumbing systems, spray heads, hoses, and internal components.

• By Herbert Post
• Aug 06, 2026

An eyewash station can pass its weekly activation check and still carry water-quality risks hidden inside low-use plumbing, spray heads, hoses, and strainers. Weekly activation verifies basic function, but it does not necessarily confirm the microbiological condition of the water or the internal surfaces that deliver it.

The ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014 addresses the testing and maintenance requirements for emergency eyewash stations. The guideline requires weekly activation to:

• Verify the valve opens in seconds and stays open hands-free
• Confirm flushing fluid reaches both delivery heads
• Flush out sediment and stagnant water from the supply line

In other words, weekly flushing helps ensure that eyewash stations can deliver flushing fluid during emergencies. It is intended to confirm basic readiness and not to certify microbiological safety.

Eyewash stations are emergency treatment equipment designed exclusively for eye irrigation following occupational exposure to hazardous substances. They are often low-use fixtures and may sit idle for weeks, months, or years, except during mandated testing intervals. That creates a perfect setup for water stagnation and surface colonization.

This means that water flowing past the eyewash nozzles may appear clear yet still pose a concern. What is happening is mostly hidden on the inside wetted surfaces of an eyewash station:

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2026 issue of Occupational Health & Safety.

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