Good morning,
Many of our newer showers/eye wash stations are without drains because of the cost. While this is considered acceptable, if not ideal, there are some behavioral repercussions.
People are less willing to use an emergency eye wash or shower is there is no drain. A person can think, “Is this really an emergency” - this happened in one of our teaching labs about 12 years ago. Also, lab personnel are less likely to do a routine check of an eye wash if there is no drain.
I recommend that if you can get drains installed, you should do so. It might save headaches in the future.
Linda
Linda Vadura
COSE Health and Safety Specialist
Campus Radiation Safety Officer
San Francisco State University
College of Science and Engineering
415.338.6892
Good afternoon,
Quick query. We have a new building with labs under construction and near the final phases. Ammonium Hydroxide (corrosive) will be used in a ventilation hood in one of the lab rooms. There is a sink mounted eyewash planned but I just found out that no provisions were made for a safety shower. This has now been brought to the attention of the construction group but unfortunately there is no floor drain in that lab room and it’s beyond the point where one could be installed. The group is suggesting a location for the shower that is accessible within 5 seconds of where the chemical will be used but the individual would have to proceed through a swinging door. Under ANSI Z358.1 a door is considered an obstruction for corrosive hazards. Would a swinging door still be considered an obstruction? Any advice would be great.
Thanks,
Mike
Michael J. Reuter
Forage Lab Chemist
Health and Safety Director
Dairy One
730 Warren Road
Ithaca, NY 14850
Phone: 1-607-257-1272, ext. 2166
Fax: 1-607-257-1350
Previous post | Top of Page | Next post
