If employees at your place of business are typically exposed to hazardous substances such as chemicals and gases, then you should consider introducing eye washing stations and emergency showers to support a safe work environment.
Providing your team with access to this equipment will ensure compliance with pertinent OSHA standards for workplace safety. This will also allow employees to immediately decontaminate themselves if they are exposed to a substance that could cause them serious injury.
Unsure whether this is absolutely necessary for your place of business? Continue reading for additional guidance on workplace safety as it relates to the ideal uses of eye washing stations and emergency showers.
Determine Your Need for Eye Wash Stations and Showers
In order to identify high-risk areas and assess whether or not you require emergency wash stations, you will need to undergo a site evaluation. Within your site evaluation, you should review each of these essential safety factors:
- Product location
- Water supply
- Water temperature
- Equipment needs & accessibility
- Installation process
- Standards & requirements
You will also want to acquire and implement Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) so that workers are fully informed of the necessary procedures for working with the hazardous substances involved in the job. The information included in the SDS documentation should include physical data such as:
- Melting point, boiling point, flash point, etc.
- Toxicity
- Health effects
- First aid
- Reactivity
- Storage
- Disposal
- Protective equipment
- What to do in the event of a spill
Where To Place Emergency Equipment
It is imperative that you place emergency equipment close to a potential hazard location. This way, the equipment can be easily accessed. Fortunately, the ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014 safety standard provides guidance on where both eye wash stations and showers should be located. This standard includes the following proximity recommendations:
- Close enough to the hazardous area so it takes no longer than 10 seconds to reach.
- In a well-lit area and marked with a sign.
- Accessible by a path that is free of obstructions.
- A safe distance from doors, doorways, and steps to prevent collisions or falls.
Ideal Usage of Emergency Equipment
The type of equipment you need depends on the potential level of exposure to your employees and how many individuals could be affected at one time. Safety equipment will come with instructions for use and all employees should receive training on these instructions and protocols.
Eye Washing Stations:
- Are most effective for spills, splashes, dust, or debris that is likely to only affect the eyes.
- Will give a steady flow of water so both eyes can be rinsed at the same time.
- Run for 15 minutes with an uninterrupted flow of tepid water.
Emergency Showers:
- Are used when the entire body is at risk of contamination.
- Will provide a water flow that will cover a larger portion of the body.
- Are not appropriate for the rinsing of the eyes. However, a combination of an eye wash station and emergency shower can be used at the same time to rinse both areas.
Check Out Our Emergency Safety Equipment
Are you located in the Houston area and need an eye wash station or other emergency equipment for your place of business? We have you covered for hazardous situations with our designated Eye Wash Stations & Emergency Showers.
Each of our eye wash units each can be used as a body wash station / shower during emergency situations, providing your team with complete coverage when working in hazardous situations. Consider the advantages of renting units from Texas Outhouse:
- We maintain the integrity of each unit.
- We ensure compliance with OSHA/ANSI standards for emergency eye washes.
- We ensure prompt delivery/removal and routine servicing of each unit.
Enhance your team’s safety and adhere to OSHA guidelines through our affordable safety solutions today! Call Texas Outhouse at 713-785-8050 to inquire about renting our eye wash stations and emergency showers.
