Protecting your employees and abiding by the law.
Emergency showers and eyewash stations are an absolutely necessary backup to minimize the effects of accidental exposure to high-risk materials. The first 10 to 15 seconds after exposure to a hazardous substance, especially a corrosive substance, are critical and delaying treatment, even for a few seconds, may cause serious injury.
Accidental exposures to high-risk materials such as chemical, toxic, corrosive or similarly hazardous substances can and often occur even with good engineering controls and safety precautions in place as a result it is essential to look beyond the use of goggles, face shields, and procedures for using personal protective equipment.
Emergency showers and eyewash stations provide on-the-spot decontamination and allow workers to immediately flush away hazardous substances that can cause injury. They can also be used effectively in extinguishing clothing fires or for flushing contaminants off clothing.
(8) Where an employee is exposed or can be exposed to a potential hazard of injury to the eye through contact with a biological or chemical substance, the employer concerned shall make sure that there is an eyewash fountain or any similar facilities, in the immediate vicinity of the workplace of such employee and that the employee is trained in the use thereof.
(9) Where an employee at a workplace is exposed or can be exposed to a potential hazard of injury to or absorption through the skin as a result of sudden contact with a large amount of toxic, corrosive, high risk or similar hazardous substance, the employer concerned shall make sure that there is a fast-reacting deluge-shower with clean water or a similar facility in the immediate vicinity of the workplace of such employee and that the employee is trained in the use thereof.
How can we at Spill Doctor help you comply with the Safety Regulations?
Spill Doctor specialises in the distribution of health, safety and environmental products designed to help improve the health and safety within your workplace and assist you in becoming compliant with the OSH Act and by-laws.
We offer a wide range of Emergency Showers and Eyewash Stations to meet different customer requirements such as the wall mounted eye wash, pedestal eyewash, de-contamination shower, combination shower etc. All products are certified by the European Directive CE EN15154-1 & 2, 89/686/EEC (DIN 12899), ANSI Z358.1 & AS 4775 certificates to certify in good quality & performance.
These products are widely applied in the chemical process industry, mining & oil industry, paper mills, construction, laboratories, pharmaceuticals processing, public utilities and hard working condition environment.
What type of equipment should you install?
Emergency showers are designed to flush the user’s head and body. They should not be used to flush the user’s eyes because the high rate or pressure of water flow could damage the eyes in some instances.
Eyewash stations are designed to flush the eye and face area only. There are combination units available that contain both features: a shower and an eyewash.
The need for emergency showers or eyewash stations is based on the properties of the chemicals that workers use and the tasks that they do in the workplace.
A job hazard analysis can provide an evaluation of the potential hazards of the job and the work areas. The selection of protection — emergency shower, eyewash or both — should match the hazard.
In some jobs or work areas, the effect of a hazard may be limited to the worker’s face and eyes. Therefore, an eyewash station may be the appropriate device for worker protection. In other situations the worker may risk part or full body contact with a chemical. In these areas, an emergency shower may be more appropriate.
A combination unit has the ability to flush any part of the body or all of the body. It is the most protective device and should be used wherever possible. This unit is also appropriate in work areas where detailed information about the hazards is lacking, or where complex, hazardous operations involve many chemicals with different properties. A combination unit is useful in situations where there are difficulties handling a worker who may not be able to follow directions because of intense pain or shock from an injury.
For a wide selection of these products visit https://www.spilldoctor.co.za/product-category/emergency-eye-wash-showers/
Emergency Showers and Eyewash Stations
