A number of workplaces contain hazards which are potentially dangerous to eyesight and therefore potentially extremely serious. But if your organisation has ready access to a supply of eyewash, it really can make a difference to how much long-term harm is done.

What do the rules say?

The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations of 1981 clearly state that “where mains tap water is not readily accessible for eye irrigation, at least one litre of sterile water or sterile saline in disposable, sealed containers should be available”.

There are also other recommendations:

•    Eye protection like safety glasses or goggles must be provided.
•    Notices must show clearly where eyewash stations and safety showers are located.
•    Eye wash kit and emergency shower facilities should be sited near the working area. Both need to be checked regularly to be sure that they are in working order, and particularly before any chemical handling and mixing takes place.

pH neutral eyewash solution is designed to neutralise alkalis and acid quickly, and to clean out contaminants effectively. Kits usually incorporate eye baths for lengthy, prolonged washing and these can also be used to deal with any chemical injuries which have affected the skin.

Administering Eye Wash

(The information below is clearly intended as guidance only and is not a substitute for recognised First Aid training.)

•    Direct the solution towards the inner corner of the affected eye nearest the bridge of the nose.
•    Move the head backwards so that the solution moves across the eye towards the outer corner.
•    Keep washing until the eye has been completely irrigated – or until the arrival of professional medical assistance.

Medical Equipment from Bound Tree Medical Europe Ltd

So you can see that there are quite a few things to bear in mind when making provision to safeguard your employees’ eyes as part of your health and safety and First Aid arrangements.

Something else you’ll need to consider is where to source eye wash kits and the like. At Bound Tree Medical, we have many years’ relevant industry experience, and offer thousands of products from our spacious facility in Telford, Shropshire, strategically located for rapid access across the UK.

You’ll also love our sky-high standards of customer service, from our knowledgeable, experienced team of staff. In fact the organisation as a whole is backed by more than three decades’ insider expertise.

What’s more, at Bound Tree Medical Europe, we can offer a unique purchasing power and excellent supplier relationships.

So whether you need tactical clothing, footwear, training equipment, First Aid kits or signs, notices and labels, make us your first port of call – you won’t need to go anywhere else! Check out our website to learn more about our full range of products. We can help whether you’re kitting out your car, home or workplace.

With free UK-wide delivery on online orders, we also have a very fair returns policy, and offer students a 10% discount. Can’t find what you need?  Just give us a call and we’ll help.

Sugar is not generally considered part of essential medical supplies, but now a university teacher is conducting research into how effective the stuff could be as an aid to healing wounds.

When the Wolverhampton lecturer, Moses Murandu, grew up in Zimbabwe, his father put granulated sugar on wounds to heal them and to take the edge of the pain of the wound.

But this method is not used at the moment in the UK, so Mr Murandu has been researching the use of sugar to see whether it definitely works, on problems ranging from leg ulcers to bed sores.

The clinical trial is taking place at three hospitals in the West Midlands, and the approach worked successfully on the first 35 patients to receive the treatment.

It is thought that sugar can be effective by drawing water from the injury, starving bacteria so that they cannot multiply.

One patient, Alan Bayliss, who’s 62m said he was confident the treatment works. His right leg had to be amputated above the knee, and after the surgery his wound was not healing. So he was given the sugar treatment, after which the wound became a great deal smaller within a fortnight, leading him to describe the method as “revolutionary.”

Mr Modalu said: “I really believe in this sugar treatment, and now doctors and nurses who witness its effects are start to believe in it too.”

Of course, it could we a while before we start seeing bags of sugar in things like sports first aid kits, but this interesting research is surely worth keeping an eye on.

Medical Supplies from Bound Tree Medical Europe Ltd

If you’re looking for more conventional medical equipment for sale, Bound Tree Medical is the place to come. In fact, our wide range of products means you won’t ever have to look anywhere else, whatever you need.

We enjoy unique purchasing power and supplier relationships, and have extensive warehousing facilities at our base in Telford, Shropshire, where we have some 15,000 square feet of space. The total number of  products we offer now stands at more than 18,000.

This site also has a fantastic location when it comes to access of transport and distribution routes.

And, thanks to the breadth of knowledge and experience of our Managing Director Stuart Edmonds and his staff, we can offer a wealth of information and superlative customer service.

We’re owned by Bound Tree Medical of Ohio, leading suppliers in the United States and with the backing of more than three decades of knowledge and experience.

As well as First Aid essentials, we supply a range of clothing and footwear, books, signs, training equipment, and much more. We offer a number of convenient delivery options, a 10% discount for students and a robust returns policy.

You’ll find lots more information on our website, from answers to frequently asked questions to details of all our products. Visit today, and email or call us with any queries you may have.