When people think about Safety Showers and Eye Wash Units, chances are they associate them with industries such as pharmaceuticals, food preparation and mining, where workers are at risk of being exposed to harmful materials in the production process. However, did you know that Safety Showers are also an integral piece of PPE for data centres? We explain why in his article.
Safety Showers Mitigate Against Exposure to Refrigerants in Data Centres
So why, you may ask, do data centres require Safety Shower Units? Data can’t hurt you, right? Well, no it can’t, but the materials used in the centres certainly can. To run a data centre effectively, they need to be kept cool. This in turn requires refrigerants to be used and kept on site which can be very dangerous should a worker be exposed to them. For this reason, workers should have immediate access to Safety Shower equipment so that it can be flushed from the skin in the event of exposure.
Safety Showers & the Risks of Battery Leakage
Apart from refrigerants, another risk that data centre workers are exposed to are the batteries used as a backup in such facilities. These are often lead-acid batteries or lithium batteries. A leak from these batteries can cause damaging burns (or worse) should a data centre employee be exposed to them. Therefore, it is essential that Safety Officers and Facility Managers ensure that workers have clear access to a functioning Safety Shower Unit should the unthinkable happen.
What Standards Do Safety Showers Need to Meet?
Safety Showers are covered by two main standards: these are the American National Standard, ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014 and the European Standard, EN15154.
Where Should Safety Showers Be Located in a Data Centre?
When installing a Safety Shower, they should be located within a minimum* 20 metres or 10 seconds reach of a chemical hazard and free of obstructions. They must be located on the same level as the hazard. All employees should be briefed on their location and how to operate them in the event of an emergency. Adequate signage should also be present. Safety Officers and Facility Managers should incorporate this into inductions and training for those engaged in data centre activity.
For more information on Safety Showers or Eye Wash Units, contact our team today at 0402 32116 or email sales@mahealy.ie. We have decades of experience in supplying Hughes Safety Shower and Eye Wash Units to a wide range of industries across Ireland. We are happy to advise on the most suitable unit for your data centre, and to answer any queries you may have.
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