24
Nov
When it comes to workplace health and safety, you should always know how to use the equipment around you in case an emergency situation strikes. It’s also important to know what that equipment is used for especially if you work in an environment where you have to deal with hazardous chemicals, fumes and equipment.
Your workplace should provide the help you may need in case a situation arises; there are also many educational facilities that hold courses or workshops that focus on workplace health and safety. It should be in the interest of both the employer and employee to learn and practice safety in the workplace. We’ll go over a quick guide about safety showers and emergency eye wash stations so you have a rough idea on what they are used for and how they work.
Due to an increased use of dangerous chemicals in the workplace, new technology was developed for workplace health and safety – the emergency safety shower eye wash. They are now used everywhere from public workplaces to private companies, they are a reliable fast way to react to an emergency situation when it involves chemical, fire or chemical compounds. There are four basic ways these emergency safety shower eye wash stations are used. The first is a dilution setting which is used to dilute chemicals on the skin or eyes that are not overly harmful. The second is at a warm or cold temperature and this is used when the body temperature might change when it is exposed to certain chemicals. The third is irrigation which is to flush chemical at a higher pressure out of the eyes and skin. And the fourth is extinguishment which is used to put out fires on the clothes or body.
Depending on your workplace (different WHS regulations and codes apply to different state or territory) you will be required to own different emergency safety showers eye wash equipment. You must comply with work health and safety regulations at all times. Hence, it is best you refer to WHS website to find information relevant to your business. For example, if dealing with chemicals, you may be required to provide an emergency shower at your workplace which will allow water to go over the entire body. Also, you are required by law to instal eye wash stations which disperses water to flush the eyes, personal eye wash stations which are used while getting the victim to another eyewash unit that has plumbing water.
You may also have to have an eyeface wash which is used for both eyes and the face, hand-held drench hose which is usually held by another person who can drench the victim in the eyes, face and body combination unit which combines safety showers eye wash or eyeface wash with a drench hose, plumbed unit which is connected to a permanent water source and a self-contained unit which must be refilled and replaced with water. The most important thing to remember is that each piece of equipment must be accessible within the first 10 seconds and they must have a path that is free from any blockages.
Training is vital and as important. It should be refreshed every so often to ensure that the knowledge becomes comfortable and second nature. Training is available and you as the employer should know where to get it. You can buy emergency safety shower and eye wash stations easily at any local workplace health and safety store or you can buy, browse and compare different units of safety equipment online.
