When a chemical splashes onto someone’s skin or into their eyes, the first few moments matter.
There is no time to search for instructions, find a key or work out how the emergency shower operates. The affected worker needs to reach the right equipment and start flushing immediately.
That is why an emergency safety shower is more than something a workplace installs to tick a box. It needs to be in the right location, ready to use and familiar to the people who may depend on it.
This guide explains what workers should do after a chemical exposure, how to use an emergency shower or eyewash station correctly, and what workplaces can do now to make sure their emergency equipment is genuinely ready when needed.
Chemical exposure: what should you do first?
If a hazardous chemical contacts the skin or eyes, move immediately to the nearest emergency shower or eyewash station and begin flushing.
Do not wait for pain, redness or irritation to develop. Some chemical injuries are not immediately obvious, and delaying first aid can increase the severity of the exposure.
While flushing continues, another worker should raise the alarm, locate the chemical’s current safety data sheet (SDS) and arrange appropriate medical assistance.
The SDS matters because first-aid requirements can vary between chemicals. Where specific instructions are provided for the substance involved, follow them together with advice from the Poisons Information Centre, emergency services or a medical professional.
The important principle is simple: start flushing first, then get help while flushing continues.
How to use an emergency safety shower
For chemical exposure affecting the body, move under the emergency shower and activate it immediately.
Allow the water to run continuously over every affected area.
Remove contaminated clothing while flushing
Clothing, footwear, jewellery and personal protective equipment can trap chemicals against the skin and prolong exposure.
Remove contaminated items as quickly as practical while the shower is running, provided they can be removed safely.
If clothing or another material has become stuck to damaged or burned skin, do not pull it away. Leave it in place and seek medical assistance.
Anyone helping the affected person should also take precautions to avoid becoming contaminated themselves.
Take care with dry chemicals
Not every chemical exposure should be treated in exactly the same way.
If a dry chemical is present on the body, loose material may need to be carefully brushed away before water is applied. Always check the product’s SDS, as some substances require different first-aid measures or may react with water.
This is one reason current SDSs need to be easy to access during an emergency, rather than stored somewhere workers cannot quickly reach them.
Keep flushing
Continue flushing affected skin with cool running water for at least 15 minutes, unless the chemical’s SDS or medical advice directs otherwise.
Do not stop simply because the pain or stinging starts to ease.
Feeling better does not necessarily mean the chemical has been completely removed.
What if the chemical gets into someone’s eyes?
Chemical exposure to the eyes needs immediate action.
Activate the eyewash station and begin rinsing straight away.
Hold the eyelids open so water can gently rinse across the entire surface of the affected eye. If only one eye has been exposed, position the head so contaminated water drains away from the unaffected eye where practical.
If the person is wearing contact lenses, do not delay flushing while trying to remove them. Remove them only if they come out easily during irrigation.
Continue flushing with clean, cool water for at least 15 minutes unless the SDS, Poisons Information Centre or a medical professional advises a different response.
If both the eyes and body have been exposed, and the combination safety shower and eyewash unit is designed to operate both functions at the same time, use both.
When should you seek medical help?
Emergency flushing is first aid. It is not a substitute for medical assessment or treatment.
Prompt medical advice should be sought following a chemical burn or chemical exposure to the eyes, even when the injury initially appears minor. Some chemical injuries can continue developing after exposure, and symptoms may not appear immediately.
Call Triple Zero (000) if the person:
- Collapses or becomes unconscious
- Is not breathing normally
- Has a seizure
- Develops severe breathing difficulties
- Experiences another serious or life-threatening reaction
For chemical-specific poisoning and first-aid advice in Australia, contact the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.
If possible, have the following information ready:
- The chemical or product name
- The product label
- The current SDS
- The chemical concentration, if known
- The areas of the body affected
- The approximate duration of exposure
- The time flushing began
- How long flushing continued
An injured worker should not travel alone to receive medical treatment.
The emergency shower has been used. What happens next?
Once the immediate medical emergency is under control, attention should turn to the workplace.
An emergency shower or eyewash station that has just been used should not simply be left for the next person to discover there is a problem.
The incident should be reported and investigated under the workplace’s normal emergency and injury-reporting procedures.
Before the equipment is returned to service, the responsible person, team or service provider should inspect it.
Important areas to check include:
- Water flow
- Water temperature
- Drainage
- Valve operation
- Blocked or damaged outlets
- Contamination
- Access to the equipment
Contaminated clothing, PPE, water and other materials also need to be managed in line with the relevant SDS, workplace spill and waste procedures, and applicable environmental requirements.
The incident is also an opportunity to ask an important question:
Did our emergency arrangements work as well as they should have?
If the worker struggled to reach the shower, could not find the SDS, was unsure how to activate the equipment or encountered another delay, those problems should be addressed before another exposure occurs.
The best time to prepare is before an incident
The effectiveness of an emergency shower depends on much more than whether one has been installed.
Think about what would happen if a worker had chemical in their eyes and could barely see.
Could they reach the emergency equipment quickly?
Would the route be obvious?
Would anything be blocking it?
Would they know how to activate the shower immediately?
These are the practical questions that matter during a real incident.
Emergency showers and eyewash stations should be positioned so workers can reach them quickly and safely from areas where hazardous substances are handled.
Their location and access arrangements should be determined through a site-specific risk assessment and checked against the current requirements of AS 4775:2026 — Emergency shower, eyewash and eye/face wash equipment and drench hoses.
As a practical starting point, the route to emergency washing equipment should be:
- Clearly marked
- Well lit
- Free from equipment, stock and other obstructions
- Easy to follow when visibility is impaired
- Accessible without keys or special authorisation
Workers who may be exposed to hazardous substances should also know where the nearest emergency shower and eyewash station is located before they ever need it.
That means emergency equipment should be covered during workplace induction, emergency-response training and refresher training.
Don’t wait for an emergency to discover a problem
One of the biggest risks with emergency equipment is that a problem can remain unnoticed until someone actually needs to use it.
A blocked outlet, poor water flow, difficult valve or obstructed access route can turn a straightforward first-aid response into a much more serious situation.
Regular activation, inspection and maintenance help identify these issues early.
Emergency washing equipment should be checked and maintained in line with applicable requirements, the manufacturer’s instructions and the workplace’s maintenance program.
If a fault is discovered, it should be addressed promptly.
Where equipment is temporarily unavailable, the workplace should assess the risk and put suitable temporary controls or alternative emergency arrangements in place until the unit is restored.
Is your workplace actually ready?
A useful emergency preparedness review does not need to be complicated.
Walk through your site and ask:
- Can workers reach emergency showers and eyewash stations quickly?
- Are the units clearly identified?
- Are access routes well lit and free from obstructions?
- Do workers know where their nearest unit is?
- Do they know how to activate it?
- Do they understand that flushing should begin immediately?
- Are current SDSs easy to access?
- Is the equipment regularly inspected and maintained?
- Are emergency procedures included in worker training?
- Is it clear who reports faults and who is responsible for maintaining the equipment?
If any answer gives you pause, there is probably something worth reviewing.
The objective is not simply to have an emergency shower on site.
It is to make sure that when someone genuinely needs it, nothing gets between that person and immediate first aid.
Choosing and maintaining the right emergency safety equipment
Different workplaces have different chemical exposure risks, which means emergency washing arrangements need to suit the hazards, layout and activities of the site.
Spill Station Australia has supported Australian workplaces with spill response and control equipment since 1983.
Our range of emergency safety showers and eyewash equipment is designed for workplaces where hazardous chemicals and other substances are used, handled or stored.
We can also help with the practical side of emergency preparedness, including equipment supply, installation and servicing.
If you are unsure whether your existing equipment is suitably located, accessible or ready for use, contact Spill Station Australia to discuss your emergency shower and eyewash requirements and practical steps to support your workplace and AS 4775:2026.