Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2008 09:59:39 -0800
Reply-To: Gordon Miller <miller22**At_Symbol_Here**LLNL.GOV>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Gordon Miller <miller22**At_Symbol_Here**LLNL.GOV>
Subject: Re: Safety Shower/eyewash
In-Reply-To: <47A270D9.6090508**At_Symbol_Here**lbl.gov>

Larry McLouth raises a significant issue about testing. Safety 
eyewashes and showers need to be activated periodically and 
extensively checked annually.

Poor drainage arrangements can cause people to either dry lab the 
activations or do the activations in a perfunctory manner that does 
not catch flow balance and pattern problems for eyewashes because the 
testers don't want to clean up the mess.

Drainage arrangements need to be designed in. That may mean the drain 
stub of an eyewash ends at the height of a carboy on a cart instead 
of three- or six-inches above the floor where environmental 
requirements, etc. preclude using a floor drain.

There are shower curtain and garbage can test kits (with carts) for 
safety showers.

Water is heavy so arrangements need to be made, hopefully in advance, 
to safely handle the collected test water before someone is injured. 
Even eyewash activations, if they last long enough for the tester to 
see the eyewash flow pattern, leave a lot of water to be carried off somewhere.


At 05:07 PM 1/31/2008, you wrote:
>Hi Jenny
>
>The engineers are correct.  This is not an ANSI 358.1 
>requirement.  Fed OSHA has nothing to say on the matter.  But...
>
>1) Eyewashes that are plumbed to the sanitary sewer make it 
>convenient to periodically activate and flush them.  This obviates 
>the need to catch the water in a bucket and haul it off.  Sink 
>mounted eyewashes are an option for future installations...they 
>conveniently drain into the sink.
>
>3)  Floor drains may pose envirionmental issues.  We don't have them 
>in our labs.  Besides, from a practical standpoint, since a safety 
>shower should deliver at 20 gpm, a floor drain wouldn't be able to 
>keep up with the flow.
>
>Larry
>
>TSANG, JENNY U wrote:
>>Hi,
>>
>>Our laboratory is going under renovation, and the contractor just
>>installed some eyewash/safety shower.  However, they are not connected
>>to any draining or plumping system in the building.  The engineers
>>stated that it's not required by any feds or state regulation to connect
>>the eyewash/shower to the drain.
>>
>>Does any one know if there is a regulation?
>>
>>Any comments are appreciated.
>>
>>Jenny
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU] On Behalf Of
>>LMSTROUD**At_Symbol_Here**AOL.COM
>>Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2007 10:51 AM
>>To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU
>>Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Safety Glasses & Dissection
>>
>>I concur-chemical splash goggles. That is my recommendation as a  Safety
>>
>>Professional Development provider.
>>
>>Linda M. Stroud, Ph.D.; NRCC-CHO
>>_www.sciencesafetyconsulting_ (http://www.sciencesafetyconsulting)
>>
>>
>>**************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's
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>>

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