Page 20 - Occupational Health & Safety, July 2017

EMERGENCY SHOWERS & EYEWASH
All-Important Equipment When Seconds Count
Placement of the emergency equipment is very important. A person in pain and with possibly obstructed vision should be able to traverse the path from hazard to the flushing units within seconds.
BY JERRY LAWS
20 Occupational Health & Safety | JULY 2017
www.ohsonline.com
We’ve all read the statistic that tells us about 2,000 workers in the United States suffer eye injuries requiring medical treatment every day. It’s usu- ally attributed to NIOSH and followed or preceded by the admonition that at least 90 percent of those injuries were preventable through the use of the proper PPE and also emergency eyewash and shower equipment.
Safety PPE prevents hazardous exposures when used and maintained correctly. Workers in occupa- tions where it is commonly used are quite familiar with it—their hard hat, high-visibility and/or protec-
tive apparel, fall harness, cut-resistant gloves, safety footwear, etc.—and appreciate why its use is required onthejob.Buteyewashandshowerequipmentisdif- ferent, in that, like fire sprinklers and fire alarms, it’s rarely needed in an actual emergency situation. Fire sprinklers and fire alarms and share another similarity with emergency eyewash and shower equipment: You have to test it regularly to ensure it will function as needed when a real emergency happens.
Workplaces where employees may be exposed to harmful corrosive materials should be equipped with eyewash and shower units that are inspected annually to ensure they comply with the ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-
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