EMERGENCY SAFETY showers and eye wash equipment provide the first line of defence from chemical splashes and burns, or when damaging dust or small particles get in the eye. When working with hazardous or toxic lab chemicals, any delays in treatment can have serious consequences.

A laboratory incident at UC Berkeley in 2009 caused severe chemical burns to a student. A few drops of the corrosive chemical oleylamine fell onto a researcher’s uncovered forearm. When he realised what happened, he went to the restroom and washed his arm with soap and water for about a minute. Unfortunately, oleylamine is corrosive and hard to wash off the skin. The Safety Data Sheet (SDS) recommends immediate flushing with plenty of water for a minimum of 15 minutes. Over the next 24 hours, delayed burns appeared on the student’s arm, eventually requiring hospital treatment.

Another lab incident at the same university proved even the smallest quantities of chemicals may cause significant harm when something goes wrong. A graduate researcher was synthesizing 1 gram of diazonium perchlorate crystals, a chemical compound known for its explosive and unstable properties. He was using a metal spatula to transfer the perchlorate salts into a porcelain funnel when the chemical exploded. It sent tiny shards of porcelain everywhere, shattering the researcher’s eyeglasses and scratching his cornea. A fellow researcher assisted the injured person with using the eye wash before heading to hospital for treatment.

Requirements for safety showers and eyewashes

Industries adopt EN15154 and ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014, standards for the design, performance, use and maintenance of emergency showers and eye wash equipment. They list specific requirements for water temperature, flow rate and other functionality for emergency safety showers and other safety equipment. The overall purpose is to ensure an effective flushing of chemicals off the skin of an injured person.

Once activated, an emergency safety shower needs to keep flowing without operator intervention. This provides time to remove contaminated clothing. It also allows the injured person to focus on flushing the affected area, without having to worry about keeping the water flowing.

DOWNLOAD: EN15154/ANSI Summary for Emergency Safety Showers and Eye Washes

Best practices for emergency safety shower and eye wash equipment in labs

Because most laboratory environments contain an abundance of different types of chemicals, safe handling practices should always stay at the top of everyone’s minds. It’s important to make sure the SDS for each chemical is easily accessible and that all lab personnel understand the associated risks and hazards. Review standard operating procedures before carrying out lab tasks.

When certain chemicals come into contact with the body or clothing, emergency safety showers may be the difference between life and death. Here are some useful tips for labs regarding emergency safety showers and eye washes:

Remember, emergency safety showers are only one component of laboratory safety. Always follow simple lab best practices like using the appropriate PPE when working with chemicals or working with explosive chemicals from inside a fume hood or behind a blast shield. These steps will go a long way towards maintaining a safe lab environment.

Emergency safety equipment for laboratories

Hughes supplies an indoor safety shower and eye wash range designed for laboratories that meet the requirements of ANSI as well as the European Standard EN 15154 Part 1 for plumbed in body showers. Stand-alone eye and face washes options include wall or pedestal mounts and several basin styles, depending on application. Laboratory showers feature easy-to-clean powder coated stainless steel pipework. Ring main mounted, ceiling mounted, wall mounted and floor mounted options are all available.

Contact Hughes Safety Showers for Emergency Safety Shower Equipment

Hughes Safety Showers specialises in keeping people safe from workplace hazards like chemical splashes or burns. Our laboratory showers and emergency safety equipment meet the highest quality standards and complies with EN15154 and ANSI requirements for safety showers. Learn more about its laboratory safety showers or contact our technical experts for advice on your application.