The specification and installation of emergency showers and eye washes requires careful consideration of several factors, most of which are driven by the specific needs and risks of a given business as well as the requirements of AS 4775.
Five Main Factors to Consider:
- Equipment Location
Emergency equipment must be located on the same level and within an unobstructed, 10-second walk from a potential hazard. The number of showers/eyewashes available and their individual locations must be evaluated when determining installation locations.
- Assure Visibility
High visibility of safety equipment can be achieved with clear signage, proper lighting and the use of the colour known as “safety green.” This colour is used industrially to designate both the concept of safety and the physical locations of first aid and emergency response equipment, including drench showers and eyewashes.
- Product Suitability
When it comes to emergency response equipment, there is no shortage of available products. And with so many choices – oftentimes differentiated only by subtle differences – it’s important to critically assess specific risks to determine the most suitable product. For example, specifying an eyewash in a chemical plant where liquids form the general risk may not be the best solution. What if an acid or base is splashed onto a victim’s face, not just in his eyes? In that instance, an eye/face wash would have been the most appropriate choice.
With recent product advancements such as flow controls and designs inspired by eye irrigation protocols used within the medical community, choosing the most suitable equipment also means selecting from the most current generation of products.
- Tempered Water Requirement
In its current form, AS 4775 requires that outlet water temperatures range from 15.6º C to below 37.8º C throughout the entire required 15-minute drench or irrigation cycle. Water that is too hot or too cold can have negative physical effects on a victim, including scalding, hypothermia or shortened drench cycles. Providing tempered water is an often-overlooked requirement that can have serious legal and/or regulatory repercussions.
- Assure Proper Maintenance
One of the implied responsibilities of specifying and installing emergency equipment is assuring a maintenance process designed to keep safety showers, eyewashes and associated system components functioning optimally. AS 4775 requires a weekly activation, intended to assure proper operation and to flush out possible sediment, as well as a more detailed annual inspection.
Installing safety equipment in such a way as to facilitate these inspections will help assure proper maintenance.
