Chemical spills in industrial workplaces could be equally devastating as much as they are a nuisance. When managed appropriately, the chemical spills are less likely to cause excessive devastations. However, improper handling of a workplace spill can cause a major disruption due to the associated loss of inventory or as a result of unintended rescheduling of tasks. At worst, these chemical spills can lead to far-reaching bodily harm to the employees who get in contact with them. In particular, is perilous if the contact is made on delicate organs such as the eyes and other vents in the face.
Nature of the Accident
In a hypothetical case involving a bleach splash into the eyes of an employee at work, there are vital steps and considerations that must be made to ensure the wellbeing of the victim; both at the scene of the accident and at the healthcare facility.
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In most cases, bleach spills at the workplace are rare, or occur in negligible quantities and, if handled appropriately, present minimal danger. However, in the event of a huge splash, proper precaution must be taken lest the victims suffer a permanent harm to the eye. The chemical action of bleach on the eyes is associated with its pH properties. Chemical bleaches are usually alkaline, which makes them more dangerous than the acidic chemicals. Essentially, alkaline solutions with high pH, a category associated with most bleaches, have a higher penetration power on the surface of the eye than the acidic solutions and other neutral irritants. They, therefore, cause damages to the cornea and other internal parts of the eye such as the lens and the conjunctiva more rapidly. In general, the bleaches with the high pH values cause the most significant damages to the eyes, which makes the splash of a bleach serious case.
Emergency Response in Compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
There are a set of procedures and safety measures for responding to laboratory spills such as the one in the case. According to the rules and guidance put forth by the EPA regarding chemical contamination to the eyes and the body, it is necessary that the victim removes any contaminated clothing, ornament, or supporting equipment and immediately flushes the affected area with excess amounts of fresh water ( Chemical Spill Response Procedures , n.d.) . In the case of the spillage to the eye, the victim should first remove the contact lenses before irrigating the eyes with plenty of fresh water. This process should be done while an unaffected employee makes the appropriate phone call to a safer location ( Chemical Spill Response Procedures , n.d.) . The second EPA recommendation is for the victim to be given appropriate medical assistance. The medical assistance can be in the form of a first aid, a holistic medical attention, or both. As a first aid, it is recommended that the victim irrigates the eyes with water for at least 15 minutes. However, depending on the severity of the chemical burn, the process can continue for hours until the victim obtains medical attention in a recognized healthcare facility. The last recommendation requires the victim to visit a healthcare facility to receive designated medical services for the eye emergency. If possible, the victim should take the applicable Safety Data Sheet with them ( National Research Council, 1995) .
Appropriate First Aid and Emergency Medical Treatment
The bleach exposure to any part of the eye is likely to cause an eye burn depending on the concentration of the quantity of the bleach that gets into contact with the eye and the duration of the exposure. The severity of the burn may also vary depending on the type of the bleach involved in it. Certain bleach exposures may only result to minor eye discomfort. Regardless, every form of chemical exposure to the eye must be given serious attention.
An exposure to bleach may result to mild symptoms of pain, redness tearing, and irritation or sensation of something in the eye; or severe symptoms such as blurred vision, excessive swellings of the eye lids, and even a true loss of vision ( Drugs.com, 2020) . In response to these symptoms, it is appropriate that the victim is placed on a quick first aid plan to prevent the harm from advancing to irreversible proportions. Being a chemical injury in an industrial setting, a specific eye-irritating solution should be used to wash off the acid from the eyes for at least 15 minutes. The patient should be transferred to an emergency eyewash or shower station from where the preliminary washing can take place ( Drugs.com, 2020) . If none of the solution is available, the washing can be completed using fresh water from the taps. The victim should begin washing the eyes immediately after the exposure without taking any other action. Essentially, the longer the chemical stays in the eye, the more damage it impacts ( Pool & Rusch, 2014) . Therefore, the process should be carried out continuously for the longest time possible to ensure than all the residue bleach is cleared off the eye. The washing may feel uncomfortable, but it recommend that the patient opens their eyelids as wide as possible to rinse all the remnants of the bleach out of the eye and the underside of the yield. The washing should continue until a medical practitioner steps in.
The next step will require support from a qualified professional in matters of chemical burns. This necessitates the transfer of the patient to a healthcare facility for medical intervention. Before the transfer, the employees at the scene should first identify the type of chemical that their colleague has been exposed to. The identification can be done by making references to the Safety Data Sheet (SDS). From the SDS, they can distinguish the bleach from an irritant. Irritants with neutral pH only cause minor and short-lived irritations that can be monitored at home. However, a bleach is most likely to have a higher pH and will be associated with more perilous outcomes ( Pool & Rusch, 2014) . As such, bleach accidents require the intervention of an ophthalmologist. The patient must, therefore, be transferred to an emergency room for clinical observation.
The medical treatments at the emergency room will entail an immediate therapy, examinations and tests, and follow-up medication upon discharge. Under the immediate therapy, the doctor will continue irrigating the eye with at least one liter of fresh water or specialized fluid ( Drugs.com, 2020) . The doctor will test the pH of the eye and continue with the washing until the pH becomes normal ( Pool & Rusch, 2014) . There may be the use of topical anesthetic eye-drop to make the eyes numb, thereby reducing the pain during the washing. Under the examination and tests, the doctor carries out procedural assessments to identify the responsible bleach and complete a thorough eye examination to ascertain the safety of the patient. The examination entails a check on the status surrounding the eyes, specifically the eye lid. The doctor may also stain the eye using fluorescein to determine the degree of damage caused by the bleach. Minor burns are treated with antibiotic eye-drops and oral analgesics or, occasionally, dilating eye-drops to enhance comfort. The injured eye may also be covered with an eye patch. An ophthalmologist should carry on with the evaluation for 24 to 48 hours before discharging the patient.
Upon discharges, the patient may go home with artificial tears as lubricants for dry eyes. Topical antibiotics may be given to prevent infections of the injured eye. Topical steroids may also be given as a remedy for inflammation, while ascorbate drops could be administered to facilitate the healing of the cornea.
References
Chemical Spill Response Procedures . (n.d.). Protect IU: Indiana University. https://protect.iu.edu/doc/environmental-health/lab_chp_sop_13.pdf
Drugs.com. (2020). Chemical eye burns . https://www.drugs.com/cg/chemical-eye-burns.html
National Research Council. (1995). Prudent practices in the laboratory: Handling and disposal of chemicals . National Academies Press.
Pool, R., & Rusch, E. (2014). Identifying and reducing environmental health risks of chemicals in our society. Workshop Summary. In Identifying and reducing environmental health risks of chemicals in our society. Workshop Summary. . National Academies Press.
