Construction sites pose a plethora of risks to all involved, and PPE considerations should be top of the list for anyone involved in their planning and management. Often overlooked, however, is the importance of Emergency Safety Shower and Eye Wash Equipment for construction sites. These can prove as vital to mitigating harm to construction site workers and the protective clothing they wear. In this article, we shall explore some of these risks, and how Emergency Safety Showers and Eye Wash Units can reduce their impact.
Emergency Safety Showers Mitigate Chemical and Gas Risks on Construction Sites
All sorts of harmful chemicals and gases can be found on construction sites. These range from solvents to cleaning fluids—even paint can be quite harmful. Workers should of course be wearing appropriate PPE when working with or near these substances, but what if they do end up exposed? In such an event, unhindered access to an Emergency Safety Shower and Eye Wash unit is imperative, for it can be the difference between whether or not the worker recieves permanent, life-changing injuries(or worse).
Eye Wash Units and Emergency Safety Showers Mitigate Against Hazourdous Dust
Dust is a particularly common hazard on construction sites, with silica dust being particularly harmful. It should go without saying that workers should be given the appropriate respiratory PPE, not to mention eye and hand protection. However, Safety Officers should also have PPE in place should workers get exposed to this material despite their protective clothing. If such dust gets in a worker’s eyes it can cause major irritation, and for this reason, they should have ready access to eyewash facilities.
But our Construction Site is Constantly Changing, We Can’t Install a Permanent Safety Shower
The Hughes 1200L Mobile Safety Shower Unit.
By their very nature, construction sites are temporary. For this reason, many such sites make use of mobile emergency safety shower units, examples of which include the Hughes STD-MH-P-1200L Mobile self-contained heated safety shower unit. These can be moved around the site, and, indeed, between different sites, as requirements dictate. Gaslines Ltd. can provide these showers for hire or purchase, depending on the needs of your project. You can find out more about mobile safety shower units here.
Are there Standards for Emergency Safety Showers?
Absolutely. The internationally recognised, American standard, for Emergency Safety Showers is ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014. There is also the European Standard, EN 15154. Depending on the site in question, the Safety Shower may also need to meet other requirements, for example, they may need to meet a certain level of flameproof protection. Explain your site environment to our team and they’ll be able to advise you.
Our Construction Site is Prone to Freezing in the Winter, How Do We Ensure Tepid Water in the Safety Shower?
Tepid water is essential for effective Emergency Safety Shower operation—we have an article discussing this requirement in detail here. In circumstances where it is difficult to maintain such temperatures, jacketed/insulated safety showers are available. Again, our team will be happy to advise you on the best solution for your construction site. We've also written this article on why tepid water is a must in order for Emergency Safety Showers to be effective.
As you can see, the importance of ready access to Emergency Safety Showers and Eye Wash Units on construction sites is not to be underestimated and should be considered to be an integral part of your PPE arsenal. As an authorised Irish distributor for the Hughes Safety Showers range, our team will be happy to advise you on the best Safety Shower solution for your construction site. Contact us today on 0402 32116 or email sales@mahealy.ie. Alternatively, you can visit our offices in Arklow (just an hour from Dublin) or Passage West (just on the edge of Cork city).
In addition, our sister company, M.A. Healy & Sons Ltd, can provide a comprehensive range of clothing and respiratory PPE, find out more at www.mahealy.ie.
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