When handling hazardous materials in factories, laboratories, or other workplaces, there’s a lot of factors to consider in assuring personnel safety. As a final level of protection, emergency showers and eyewash stations need to remain visible, easily accessible, and reliable. This way, they can sufficiently combat any chemicals or other hazardous materials that may make contact with one’s eyes or body.
Emergency eyewash stations, as well as shower equipment, are addressed by ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014: American National Standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment. This standard, written and published by the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA), an ANSI-accredited standards developing organization, establishes minimum performance and use guidelines for eyewash and shower equipment for the emergency treatment of the eyes or body of someone who has been exposed to hazardous materials.
OSHA regulations address emergency eyewash and shower equipment in 29 CFR 1910.151. Specifically, 1910.151(c) states:
“Where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use.”
However, this is the only federal requirement for emergency eyewash and shower equipment. OSHA has often referred employers to ANSI Z358.1 as a recognized source of guidance for protecting employees who are exposed to injurious corrosive materials. Furthermore, it has been adopted by many governmental organizations and the International Plumbing Code (IPC).
ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014 covers emergency showers, eyewashes, eye/face washes, and combination units, and it is intended to provide uniform minimum guidelines for their performance, use, installation, test procedures, maintenance, and training.
Each clause in ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014 details a separate type of equipment. For all this equipment, including emergency showers, eyewashes, and similar equipment, the American National Standard states that the flushing liquid’s velocity and quantity should be controlled, and that a control valve should be simple to operate and go from off to on in 1 second or less. The valve should also be resistant to corrosion.
Emergency showers and eyewashes, in accordance with ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014, should deliver tepid flushing fluid. However, there are certain circumstances in which a facilities safety/health advisor should be consulted for optimum temperature. Tepid fluid is considered 16-38 degrees Celsius (60-100 degrees Fahrenheit). It is also the installer’s responsibility to assure that the shower or eyewash station is positioned so that it is highly visible and accessible, being in locations that take no more than 10 seconds to reach.
A breadth of information, specifications, performance guidelines, and illustrations for emergency shower and eyewash stations are detailed in ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014.
To aid in further compliance, ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014 is available as part of ANSI/ISEA Z358.1 / ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 – Workplace First Aid Kits and Eyewash Package and ANSI/ISEA Z358.1 / ANSI/ISEA Z87.1 – Eyewash and Eye Protection Package.
ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014: American National Standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment is available on the ANSI Webstore.
Hello There, Thanks for writing this post about an emergency eyewash station shower. it’s very informative & helpful. I’m going to share this blog with my younger brother who is a medical student, hope it’ll be very helpful for him.
Are the eyewash stations that install to goose neck faucets accepted?
can be used as a hansink as well as eyewash?
Has the allowance of a door in the path to an eyewash been changed since 2014? I was just at a Joint Commission training (Nov 2018) and both surveyors stated that there can be no door in the path to the eyewash per ANSI.
Is there any clarification on how to account for the horizontal distance to the device when they are are deck mounted? The ANSI standard specifies that they be installed so the fluid flow pattern is no less than 33 inches but no greater than 53 inches from the work surface, but the illustrations provided only show that measurement in the vertical direction. Do you have any information on how the horizontal measurement across the deck is to be considered as a part of that 33-53 inches? In our situation, we have deck mounted units installed near laboratory sinks so the vertical height to the counter top is 36″ and the horizontal distance to the eyewash unit is often ~20″ thus exceeding the 53″ max if that horizontal distance is to be included.
Any indication from ISEA about the launch of the 2019 revision cycle?
HEIGHT OF THE EYEWASH STATION?
ADA has no specific guidelines for eyewashes or eye/face washes, it does have other guidelines that can be helpful – such as maximum sink and/or counter height. ADA allows a maximum sink and/or counter height of 34 inches above the floor.
Ensure the eyewash station is within the required height. Nozzles for eyewash stations should be at least 33 inches from the floor and no more than 45 inches from the floor. Ensure the surrounding area isn’t obstructed. Every employee should be able to easily access the eyewash valve and faucet, so keep a stepstool nearby if necessary.
how often should eye wash stations be inspected? and can you please provide the standard? thank you in advance.
Weekly.
EYE wash stations should be inspected weekly and have an annual inspection completed by a competent person. Also you have have maintenance perform monthly inspections and ensure that the shower is cleaned. OSHA uses ANSI Safety shower inspection standards and these standards are recognized and regularly enforced by OSHA. ANSI Z358.1
Outside of obtaining a City final, is there any ANSI z358.1 certifications or inspections needed?
Any indication as to when the current standard ISEA/ANSI Z358.1-2014 will be updated?
Outside of the United States is the ANSI/ISAE Z 358.1 recognized as the standard for medical facilities to follow for safety of their staff.
Also are all ISAE standards used to audit facilities and work places outside the US>
thank you
Is there a proper certification needed to install this?
Does the current ANSI Z358.1-2014 required single step activation? Is 2014 the most current version?
The 2014 edition is current. For any technical information regarding this standard, please contact ISEA here: https://safetyequipment.org/contact-us/
Are there any requirement for an alarm. Are there any instrumentation requirements.
Is it a requirement to test the water temperature on a weekly basis or is that an annual requirement?