What is the required water temperature in a plumbed eyewash station?

Water that is too hot or too cold could prevent the affected worker from flushing the eyes for the recommended full 15 minutes. Yet, OSHA does not have a specific requirement for eyewash fluid temperature. The agency addresses water temperature in a letter of interpretation dated April 18, 2002, when it says, “It is the employer’s responsibility to assess the particular conditions related to the eyewash/shower unit, such as water temperature, to ensure that the eyewash/shower unit provides suitable protection against caustic chemicals/materials to which employees may be exposed.”

Because American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z358.1, American National Standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment, provides details for the installation and operation of emergency eyewash and shower equipment, OSHA often refers employers to the consensus standard. The ANSI standard explains that the eyewash fluid should be “tepid,” or generally between 60- and 100-degrees Fahrenheit.