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Emergency
When gloves, goggles and garments fail, emergency
showers and eyewash stations had better be nearby.
by Rebbeca Geissler
In an emergency every second counts, particularly
one that involves chemical exposure to the eyes and skin. The correct placement
of a drench shower, eyewash or combination product can minimize long-term injury
to a worker, possibly saving their eyesight. While wearing safety glasses and
protective clothing should guard against this type of exposure, immediate
flushing of the eyes and skin is essential when these items fail to protect.
Keep it in reach
When locating drench showers and eyewashes in a
manufacturing plant, it is first necessary to identify all high-risk areas in
the plant. As there are no set requirements for the number of fixtures per
employee or square foot, a plan should be developed to protect all workers. ANSI
Z358.1 is the prevailing industry standard for drench showers and eyewashes, and
it provides the following guidelines for placement of these products:
• A drench shower, eyewash or a combination of
the two should be located within 10 seconds of any worker at risk for chemical
exposure. The distance a worker can travel in this time frame is estimated to be
55 feet.
• If the worker’s ability to walk or move would
be significantly impacted by the chemical exposure, the fixture should be placed
closer to the worker.
• If highly corrosive chemicals are used, the
drench shower or eyewash should be placed immediately adjacent to the hazard.
• If a potential chemical spill in an area is
likely to affect multiple workers, a sufficient number of safety fixtures should
be in place to prevent one worker from having to wait 15 minutes while another
is drenched.
Keep it in view
Safety fixtures like drench showers and eyewashes
should be clearly identifiable and easy to reach in a manufacturing environment.
Once the appropriate general location for the fixture has been determined, the
following guidelines should also be considered:
• The area around the fixture should be
well-lighted.
• The drench shower or eyewash should be
identified with a highly visible sign.
• A drench shower or eyewash in a bright color
like yellow is easiest to spot in a busy manufacturing environment.
• Avoid any obstructions, including doors,
between the worker and the drench shower or eyewash. When the risk is not from a
corrosive, it is acceptable for a worker to move through one unlocked door that
opens in the direction of travel.
• The worker should not be required to walk up or
down stairs to reach the safety fixture.
• Eyewash sprayheads should be a minimum of 6
inches from any wall or obstruction to allow the user clear access for eye
flushing.
• The area for flushing under the drench shower
should also be unobstructed. The only exception is the eyewash on a combination
drench shower & eyewash fixture. In this case, the eyewash is placed within
the flow of the drench shower to allow for simultaneous use.
Keep it in mind
Anyone who will be working in the plant should be
trained on the locations of these fixtures in the facility, and on the proper
use of an eyewash or drench shower. An informed group of employees is more
likely to respond quickly and effectively in an emergency situation, and be able
to assist others, as required, in using equipment correctly. This is especially
important because an injured employee may not be in a physical or emotional
state to react appropriately.
The correct placement, installation and use of
drench showers and eyewashes are an important part of any plant’s
comprehensive safety plan. If you haven’t reviewed your company’s emergency
fixture placement and compliance program recently, there’s no better time than
right now.
Resources
• Copies of the “American National Standard for
Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment, ANSI Z358.1-2004,” are available from
the ISEA at http://www.safetyequipment.org/eyewash2.htm.
• California guidelines are available from
Stanford University at http://www.stanford.edu/.
• Safety product application guidelines are also
available on Bradley’s Web site at http://www.bradleycorp.com/sweets/guidelines/index.htm.
Rebecca Geissler is a product manager for Emergency
Fixtures at Bradley Corp., a leading manufacturer of plumbing fixtures, washroom
accessories, partitions, emergency fixtures and solid plastic lockers. She can
be reached at Bradley Corp., W142 N9101 Fountain Blvd., Menomonee Falls, Wis.,
53052-0309. For more information, call (800) BRADLEY or visit www.bradleycorp.com.
This article appeared in the December
2005/January 2006 issue of MRO Today magazine. Copyright 2005.
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