Emergency safety shower units can prove to be life-saving pieces of PPE should a worker be exposed to harmful materials or chemicals in the course of the work, whether that be in a pharma setting, construction site, mine, etc. Therefore, it is vitally important that the water supplied to these units is at the appropriate temperature and at an adequate flow rate in order for the decontamination process to be effective. Let’s take a look at these requirements and the standards that govern them.
What Standards Govern Emergency Safety Showers?
Emergency Safety Shower Units are covered by two key standards. These are the American National Standards Institute standard, ANSI Z358.1-2014, which is also the internationally recognised standard for emergency safety shower units. They also come under the European standard, EN15154. These two standards are broadly similar, the main discernible difference being their specifications for tepid water, but this is rather marginal.
What is the Temperature Should the Water Supplied to An Emergency be?
Both ANSI Z358.1-2014 and EN15154 standards for emergency safety shower units require the water supplied to such units to be ‘tepid’. The temperature range for ‘tepid’ water is varies slightly between the two standards; under ANSI Z358.1-2014 it should be 16-38c, while the EN standard stipulates tepid to be within the range 15-37c.
What is The Required Water Flow Rate for Emergency Safety Shower Units Under These Standards?
Whether you’re looking at ANSI Z358.1-2014 or EN15154, both require the water flow rate to an emergency safety shower unit to be 76L per minute, interrupted for at least 15 minutes. Anything less than this is not considered to be sufficient for thorough decontamination of the shower user.
For more information on the standards for emergency safety showers, and how to achieve them, please feel free to contact the Gaslines Ltd. team on 0402 32116 (Arklow) or 021 484 1370 (Cork). We can also supply emergency safety showers and eye wash stations to businesses anywhere in Ireland.
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