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Emergency Shower Requirements
Types of Emergency Showers to Choose for a Facility
An emergency shower can be purchased either as a single unit drench shower or combination unit with an eyewash or eye/ face wash attached. The latter type has the ability to flush the eyes, face and body simultaneously.The reason- An emergency drench shower would not be able to thoroughly and safely flush the eyes if a hazardous material were to splash directly in the eye. The angle of the water flow would not be correctly positioned. The combination unit offers the victim the benefit to be able to flush the eyes and face with a regulated flow rate while the shower portion simultaneously flushes the entire body.
Installation
The unit must be located so that an injured worker can reach it within 10 seconds.
The reason- The first few seconds are critical to start flushing the body
The shower should be on the same level as the hazard
The reason- A worker should not be going up or down stairs or ramps to get to the shower
Shower must be in a visible area that is well lit
The reason- A worker needs to know exactly where the shower is located before an accident
There must be a sign to identify the shower
The reason- workers need to recognize the shower as emergency equipment
Maintenance
Plumbed emergency showers need to be activated on a weekly basis
The reason- Bacteria and debris can build up in the pipes and cause further damage to skin and tissue
Showers should be inspected annually
The reason- Showers that are not working properly will not help a victim that has been splashed
Tag it- with the date and time that the activations and inspections are done
The reason- There needs to be proof that the activations and inspections are being done for worker's protection and business compliance.
Training
Employees that are working with hazardous materials should be trained to use the equipment
The reason - An emergency shower will not do any good if a worker doesn’t know how to operate it at the time of the emergency.
Specifications
• The Heads should be positioned 82” – 96” from the flooring
• The spray patterns center should be 16” from any obstruction
• The spray pattern should have a minimum diameter of 20”
• The spray pattern should be 60” above the flooring
The reason- These specifications give the victim the best possible chance of properly flushing the hazardous material off of them
Flow Rate
The Flow rate should be 20 GPM’s (Gallons per minute)
The rate should be 30 PSI (Pounds per Square Inch)
The reason- There has to be enough water at the right speed to properly flush the hazardous material
Valves
The Valves need to stay open without the use of the hands
They have to activate in 1 second or less
The valves cannot shut off until they are manually shut off
The reason - The victim can’t be concentrating on
holding open the valve or fearing that it will automatically shut off
nor can they be fiddling with the valve in order to start the shower
Water Temperature
The water temperature for an emergency shower should be between 60 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit
The reason - This is a comfortable water temperature
that ensures that a person will flush for the full 15 minutes to fully
wash off the chemicals or
contaminants
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