Page 34 - OHS, February/March 2025

E M E R G E N C Y S H O W E R S & E Y E W A S H
emergency eyewash equipment from the 1950s is sold on eBay, but
we obviously don’t recommend it for actual workplace use, other
than as a museum exhibit.
Modern emergency eyewash and shower equipment was intro-
duced following the establishment of OSHA. Th e agency was cre-
ated by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, and began
operation on April 28, 1971. Th ree of the safety equipment indus-
try’s oldest suppliers of emergency eyewash and showers entered
this space in the early 1970s.
What to Look for in This Equipment Today
Employers should only use safety equipment that is certifi ed as com-
pliant by a third-party, advises Ryan Pfund, chair of ISEA’s Emergen-
cy Eyewash & Shower Product Group, and senior product manager
at Bradley Corporation in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.
“Look for the right protection for your situation,” says Pfund.
“Assess what hazards a worker will be exposed to and pick the right
solution for that hazard. Look at your material safety data sheets
(MSDS) to see what to do when a worker is exposed.”
Pfund adds that the location where the work is being performed
must be factored into your fi rst-aid planning. He suggests asking
questions such as: Is the facility indoors or outdoors? If the worker
will be outdoors, will the emergency equipment have freeze expo-
sure? Will you be able to deliver water pressure of at least 30 PSI at
that site? Can you plumb the water supply to ensure it has the capac-
ity to rinse multiple people in an emergency without running out?
If a reliable water supply cannot be delivered through plumb-
ing, you will need to use a self-contained unit. Such equipment is
“one and done,” says Pfund — meaning it can only be used for a
single application and must be replaced aft er each use.
What OSHA Requires
OSHA promulgated its 29 CFR 1910.151 regulation in 1971. Subsec-
tion (c), which pertains to workplace emergency eyewash and show-
ers, simply states: “Where the eyes or body of any person may be
exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick
drenching or fl ushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within
the work area for immediate emergency use.”
As Pfund observes, “OSHA’s regulation is ambiguous. It doesn’t
get into the details about how to provide quick drenching or eye-
fl ushing fl uid. Th at’s where the industry standard, ANSI/ISEA
Z358.1 comes in. OSHA says you need to provide suitable facilities,
but the ISEA standard defi nes what that means on a practical level.”
In fact, OSHA inspectors oft en use the standard when assessing
employers’ compliance with federal medical and fi rst aid regula-
tions (29 CFR Part 1910.151c).
In addition, as we note in ISEA’s Selection, Installation & Use
Guide for Emergency Eyewash & Shower Equipment2, many states
require the use of ANSI/ISEA Z358.1 compliant equipment. Th e
International Plumbing Code (IPC) and the Uniform Plumbing
Code (UPC) recognize hazards of caustic and corrosive exposure.
IPC, section 411, and UPC, section 416, require the use of ANSI/
ISEA Z358.1 compliant equipment whenever eyewash or shower
equipment is needed.
About ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014 (R2020)
First adopted in 1981 and most recently updated in 2020, this in-
dustry consensus standard specifi es minimum equipment perfor-
mance criteria for fl ow rates, temperature delivery and drenching
patterns in emergency eyewash and shower equipment. Th e stan-
dard includes required maintenance directives to ensure that the
equipment is maintained in proper working condition.
“Th e standard covers both the manufacturing and employer
side — the latter because you need to ensure that your employees
know how to use the equipment,” adds Pfund. “Following the stan-
dard ensures that you meet the minimum requirements involved
in buying a product that’s compliant and installing it in a manner
that’s compliant with the standard.”
For example, he explains, the equipment must be within 55 feet
or 10 seconds from the hazard, and an unobstructed path of travel
must be maintained between the equipment and the hazard so an
aff ected worker has unimpeded access to the eyewash or shower.
You also need to activate the equipment weekly to make sure it will
function properly when needed.
Other Considerations
It’s important to be aware that emergency eyewash and shower
equipment requires safe, tepid water.
“A worker exposed to a chemical hazard has to stand in that
emergency shower for 15 minutes,” says Pfund. “Th ey won’t be able
to do it if the water’s cold. No one takes a 15-minute cold shower at
home. Th ere’s no time to wait in an emergency, so you want to main-
tain a consistent water temperature of 60°F to 100°F. Your supplier
can advise you on the multiple ways to achieve that.”
Th e water must also be potable. Never use grey water in this
equipment. You don’t want to compound an emergency by expos-
ing a worker to chemicals or pathogens via the fl ushing fl uid.
If that fl uid source is a municipal water system or a well, you
should periodically test it. Consulting with the local water com-
pany would also be prudent to determine their chlorination and
other additive practices and schedules.
Unplumbed, self-contained equipment must also have its fl ush-
ing fl uid cleaned or changed on a regular basis. Consult with the
manufacturer or supplier about proper fl uid maintenance methods
and frequency.
Pfund explains that manufacturers typically warrant their
emergency eyewash and shower equipment for one year aft er pur-
chase. But he adds that the equipment typically has an actual lifes-
pan of 10 years when properly maintained.
ISEA Offers a Comprehensive Resource
As I mentioned above, ISEA created a free, online Selection, Instal-
lation & Use Guide for Emergency Eyewash & Shower Equipment2
.
It’s comprehensive, addressing corrosive exposures, job hazard
analysis, key defi nitions, equipment types and features, options/ac-
cessories for primary emergency fi xtures, fl ushing fl uid attributes,
testing and maintenance, FAQs about the standard, equipment
manufacturers and more. A downloadable PDF version3 is also
available on that page for easy reference. Also, our resource page
also provides a list of the ISEA-member manufacturers and suppli-
ers of emergency eyewash and shower
equipment.
REFERENCES
1. tinyurl.com/aekhzhus
2. tinyurl.com/yze8ntfr
3. tinyurl.com/5xrrswpf
Cam Mackey is President and CEO of the
International Safety Equipment Association
(safetyequipment.org).
32 Occupational Health & Safety | FEBRUARY/MARCH 2025 www.ohsonline.com