How can improperly maintained eyewash stations cause infections?

Water found in improperly maintained eyewash stations is more likely to contain organisms (e.g., Acanthamoeba, Pseudomonas, Legionella) that thrive in stagnant or untreated water and are known to cause infections. When a worker uses an eyewash station that is not maintained, organisms in the water may come into contact with the eye, or skin, or may be inhaled. Workers using eyewash stations after exposure to a hazardous chemical or material may have eye injuries that make the eye more susceptible to infection. Also, workers with skin damage or compromised immune systems (e.g., transplant recovery, cancer, lupus) are at increased risk for developing illnesses from contaminated water. Early diagnosis is important to prevent infections from causing serious health effects, including permanent vision loss and severe lung diseases (e.g., pneumonia).  The following are a few organisms that thrive in eyewash stations when not maintained properly and the health hazards they present. This list is not all-inclusive. Many other microorganisms live in stagnant water that is not listed below.

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