Does your facility’s emergency response program ensure immediate access to a 15-minute flush of tepid water for employees near certain worksite hazards?
Worksites where employees are at risk of injuries from chemicals, dust, and/or flammable materials require the immediate availability of eyewash stations and safety showers. When installed and used correctly, these plumbed fixtures can provide immediate emergency decontamination from direct exposure to hazardous materials.
Personal protective equipment, such as goggles, are an excellent first line of defense for preventing injury from chemical splashes or other hazardous exposures. However, immediate, clear, and unobstructed access to emergency showers and eyewashes is the next best safeguard when exposure occurs. Therefore, it’s important to keep up-to-date on the selection, placement, and
maintenance of plumbed emergency fixtures. In addition, the equipment must be compliant with the American National Standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment (ANSI/ISEA
Z358.1–2014).
Consider the following best practices to ensure your facility’s safety program delivers the best outcome in the event of an emergency exposure.
Conduct a site survey
Start with a site evaluation to identify at-risk areas, potential hazards, and emergency needs. Make sure to evaluate factors like product location, water supply, water temperature, accessibility,
and equipment selection.
During a facility walk-through, reference the ANSI/ISEA Z358.1–2014 emergency equipment standard regarding specific requirements for emergency eyewash and drench shower equipment installation, testing, performance, maintenance, training, and use. Safety data sheets (SDS) are another excellent source for determining protection needs, since they contain first aid information detailing the circumstances in which drenching equipment is required.
Some product manufacturers offer complimentary safety shower and eyewash site surveys. These surveys should include a compliance review of the current ANSI/ISEA Z358.1 standard and provide operation and placement suggestions to meet corporate safety goals.
Jobsite evaluations should not be a one-time event. Since work environments are changing all the time, conduct assessments annually to ensure the proper type, quantity, installation, and location of emergency fixtures. Also be sure to conduct site surveys before expanding, relocating, or modifying onsite work processes.
Compare the equipment options
Select equipment based on the type and level of potential exposure to workers, and the number of individuals at risk. Consider the following fixture types:
Emergency eyewash stations
- Effective for spills, splashes, dust, or debris likely to affect only the eyes.
- Provides a controlled flow of water to both eyes simultaneously.
- Delivers an uninterrupted, 15-minute supply of tepid water. Plumbed units can supply a greater volume of water—between 2 and 5 gallons (7.5 and 19 liters) per minute.
Emergency eye/face wash stations
- Effective for situations when the entire face is at risk from spills, splashes, dust, and debris.
- Irrigates the eyes and face simultaneously.
- Provides a large distribution pattern of water (minimum 3 gallons per minute/11.4 liters per minute) to rinse the entire face effectively.
Drench showers
- Effective for situations when larger areas of the body are at risk.
- Flushes a larger portion of the body but is not appropriate for the eyes. (A combination eyewash and drench shower is effective to flush the eyes and rinse larger areas of the body simultaneously.)
The proper water temperature will encourage the injured individual to complete the full 15-minute flush during an emergency. ANSI/ISEA suggests an incoming water temperature between 60 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit (15.6 to 37.8 degrees Celsius).
Lack of space for safety equipment is a concern in many facilities. A swing-activated eyewash model saves space in classrooms, laboratories, healthcare facilities, and other tight areas by combining a sink faucet with a built-in eyewash.
During regular faucet use, the eyewash is stored out of the way. In an emergency, users can immediately activate the eyewash by swinging it out 90 degrees over the sink. This design ensures that the faucet moves out of the way, positioning the eyewash directly over the sink and allowing clear access to the fixture. With the eyewash in the optimal position, water is contained in the sink without dripping or spraying on countertops and floors, preventing slip and fall risks.
Study placement guidelines
Too often, facility managers underestimate the maximum distance allowed between a critical work area and an eyewash/safety shower product. This is a serious miscalculation because the
first seconds following eye and skin exposure to hazardous materials are critical to minimizing injury.
For the greatest employee protection, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) provides the following product placement guidelines:
- Install a drench shower, eyewash, or combination unit within 10 seconds or approximately 55 feet (16.8 meters) of a potential hazard with unobstructed access.
- Ensure the equipment is on the same level as potential users’ workspaces. If there are doors between the hazard and the fixture, they must swing in the direction of travel.
- Ensure the height of the eyewash flow pattern is between 33 inches (84 centimeters) and 53 inches (135 centimeters), as measured from the floor to the water flow.
- If a worker’s ability to walk or move might be impacted by the chemical exposure, place the fixture closer to the workspace.
- If workers handle highly corrosive chemicals, place the drench shower or eyewash immediately adjacent to the hazard.
- If a potential chemical spill in an area is likely to affect multiple workers, place a sufficient number of fixtures so workers won’t need to wait to access a unit.
Conduct weekly equipment inspections
Material hazards present fluctuating risks and challenges for facilities and employees. To ensure equipment viability, activate and recheck eyewash and drench showers every week, per ANSI/ISEA
Z358.1.
During weekly inspections, check that plumbed emergency equipment works properly and has no missing or broken parts. Flush all the lines long enough to clear debris and stagnant water,
activating all heads of the device, including the eyewash or eye/face wash head, as well as the showerhead. This activation ensures that nothing is blocking the flow of the flushing fluid and
eliminates any chance of contamination from stagnant water.
Use the inspection tags, which are often included with fixtures, to document testing and to satisfy a safety audit. Keeping a dated checklist for inspections helps with follow-through and
accountability.
Don’t forget employee training
Remember, while the selection and maintenance of emergency eyewash equipment is crucial, its success ultimately comes down to training. Workers must be knowledgeable about the location
of the fixtures and how to properly use them.
Provide written instructions, post visible signage, and schedule hands-on drills for your workers to familiarize them with the equipment. These actions, which prioritize best practices, will
reinforce your operation’s safety net to protect the health of its workers.
