Safety in the Plant
Emergency eyewash and
shower unit facilities must be installed in work areas where there is high potential for accidents involving corrosive, irritant or toxic substance absorption through skin and eyes. The location should be no more than a maximum of 10 seconds travel time for an injured person to access as every second counts. Therefore, there should be nothing to obstruct the pathways leading
up to an emergency shower or items stored on top of an eyewash sink. Ensure that the pathway is well lit and all directional signage is still in place and clearly visible. Operatives also need to be fully briefed on the
potential danger of the hazards within which they are working, they also need to be trained on how to operate the shower and also key items that should be checked routinely that might prevent correct operation. Wastewater treatment workers, for example, are in close contact with sewage, storm water and treatment chemicals. The hazards are therefore high. Workers need to know and understand exposure limits and what to do when it comes to decontaminating clothing and the body. So, there are a number of steps you can take to
ensure your emergency facilities are fit for purpose but most importantly you must make clear who is responsible for carrying out inspection, weekly testing, recording and maintenance. If there is anything wrong with the facility there
must be a tagging process put in place whereby workers themselves can check that an emergency shower has been properly tested and report anything they believe to be unsafe. n
Figs. 2 and 3. Water supply pipework must be carefully checked, both inside and outside the plant.
Janet Dickinson is operations manager, Showers & Eyebaths Services, St Helens, Merseyside, UK.
www.safety-showers.com
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