Page 44 - OHS, May 2020

EMERGENCY SHOWERS & EYEWASH
Safeguarding Employees with Dependable Eye/Face Washes and Safety Showers
The need for sufficient and properly working emergency eyewash and shower devices in workplaces is real.
BY RYAN PFUND
Many work sites and facilities have emer- gency showers and eye/face wash fix- tures. However, while the fixtures may be installed at a work site, that doesn’t
always mean a facility and its workers are automati- cally protected with this equipment. Sometimes the equipment is outdated, not in working order, not located near all hazards, unclean, unable to dispense tepid water and/or not in compliance with ANSI/ ISEA Z358.1–2014.
The need for sufficient and properly working emer- gency eyewash and shower devices in workplaces is real and pervasive. According to the United States Bu- reau of Labor Statistics, Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Requiring Days Away from Work (2014):
■ 13,840 workers were afflicted by chemical ex- posures in 2014
■ 46,000 workers experienced exposure to harm- 40 Occupational Health & Safety | MAY 2020
ful substances or environments
■ 23,000-plus workers suffered injuries to eyes Therefore, it’s important to keep up-to-date on
placement, maintenance, the newest trends and tech- nologies and evaluate whether your equipment is ef- fectively optimizing the best protection for your em- ployees. Additionally, remember that all equipment must deliver an uninterrupted, 15-minute supply of tepid water, per ANSI/ISEA requirements.
Evaluating and Re-evaluating Job Sites
for Equipment Placement
Job site evaluations should not be a one-time event— as with training, testing and maintenance of emer- gency fixtures. Since work environments are dynamic and change over time, assessments should be con- ducted annually to ensure the proper type, quantity and location of emergency fixtures. Some emergency
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