DOC. SAFETY DIVISION STEEL WORKS EFF. DATE 08.08.

2005
STANDARD
DOC. # SS/ GEN-13 TITLE Safety Shower & Eye REVISION 00
Wash Station
SHEET 1 OF 7 DUE FOR 01.08.2008
REVISION
COMP. BY Anil Sah SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
AUTH. BY VN SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
Gaikwad

1.0 Purpose: This procedure establishes the requirements for suitable

facilities for the quick drenching of the eyes and body in response to
exposure to injurious materials or in case of any type of Burn injury

2.0 Scope: To outline the use of safety shower and eyewash facilities with the
following considerations: testing, inspection, new installations, unit performance
and user training

3.0 References: Tata Steel safety Standard and Dupont Safety Manual

4.0 Responsibility: Working departments, Contractors

5.0 General: Rule : Where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to
injurious corrosive, toxic, or flammable materials, suitable facilities for quick
drenching or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the
work area for immediate emergency use.

 In areas where toxic, corrosive, flammable materials or molten metal are

processed/ handled, Safety showers and eyewash facilities should be
accessible within 50 metre travel distance from any point and shall
require not more than 1 minute to reach there.

 Emergency face/eye wash fountain and showers or combination units

shall be located in all areas where there is a possibility of chemical splash
injury of eyes or face or body, or exposure to irritating chemicals. These
facilities shall be located in such a way that they do not pose a problem by
reaction with water sensitive chemicals and shall be so arranged that there
is no obstruction in going from the work spot to their location.

 Because of the deluge action required, water pressure head for the
emergency shower shall be not less than 196 kPa ( 2 kgf/cms ) and the
total water delivered from the shower or the spray nozzles shall be not less
than 250 to 300 litre/min. The emergency showers may be actuated by a
step-on foot valve which may be of the self-closing type, or hand-operated
self-closing or stay-open type which may be operated by a chain or pull
rod.

 Proper drainage system shall be made for quick disposal of used water.
DOC. SAFETY DIVISION STEEL WORKS EFF. DATE 08.08.2005
STANDARD
DOC. # SS/ GEN-13 TITLE Safety Shower & Eye REVISION 00
Wash Station
SHEET 2 OF 7 DUE FOR 01.08.2008
REVISION
COMP. BY Anil Sah SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
AUTH. BY VN SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
Gaikwad

Definitions
Eye/Body Wash - A safety shower and eye wash unit supplied by a
single source of drinking water.
Eyewash - A device used to irrigate and flush the eyes.
Drench Hose — A flexible hose connected to a water supply and used
to flush the face and other body parts.
Flow Pressure- The gauge pressure measured at the pipe wall during flow.
Emergency Shower- A unit that enables users to have water
cascading over their entire body.
Combination Unit - A unit combining a shower and eyewash, or
eye/face wash, and/or drench hose into one common assembly.
Self-Contained Eyewash - eyewash that is not permanently
installed and must be refilled or replaced after use, and meets the perfor-
mance requirements of this standard.
Processes or Process Area - Locations where chemical processes occur
(includes semi-works, pilot plants, and manufacturing operations).
Safety Shower - An assembly consisting of a showerhead controlled by
a stay-open valve that cascades water over the entire body of the user
or is capable of flushing an affected area of the body.
Tempered — Water with a temperature not to exceed 95°F, and should
not be lower than 60°F.
* All mandatory requirements in this standard have been italicized.

Procedure
Safety Shower Use
 Time is vital; get under the shower as quickly as possible

 Promptly remove contaminated clothing while showering

 Call for assistance

 Remain under the shower until all affected body areas have been
thoroughly flushed; 15 minutes is the suggested minimum; this varies with the
type of material and exposure.

 After showering, do not put on contaminated clothing or footwear

 Obtain medical attention

Eyewash Use
 Time is vital; flush eye(s) as quickly as possible
DOC. SAFETY DIVISION STEEL WORKS EFF. DATE 08.08.2005
STANDARD
DOC. # SS/ GEN-13 TITLE Safety Shower & Eye REVISION 00
Wash Station
SHEET 3 OF 7 DUE FOR 01.08.2008
REVISION
COMP. BY Anil Sah SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
AUTH. BY VN SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
Gaikwad

 Call for assistance

 Eye(s) must be held open for an effective flush

 Flush eye(s) for as long as possible, 15 minutes is the suggested

minimum; this varies with the type of material and exposure

 Obtain medical attention

Testing – Frequency and Recordkeeping

A readily accessible means of test verification shall be provided.

Record the date of the inspection and the inspector’s initials on the
inspection tag (See appendix AP029) or by other means approved by
business unit SHE. This recordkeeping shall be readily available at
the eye/body wash station or in the laboratory that the station is
located.
All deficiencies noted during the testing of eye/body wash stations
must be reported immediately to the local maintenance group.
Testing is conducted to verify that water is being delivered and to
move water through the system.
Testing shall be performed on a daily or weekly basis, dependent
upon area hazards.
Testing and Inspections By Users

Testing and inspections must be done be area personnel on the

frequency basis established from the Testing - Frequency schedule.
Safety showers and eyewash stations must be well lighted, highly
visible and unobstructed.
Safety Showers

 Flush the system for a recommended minimum of 15 seconds and

verify delivered water is clean

 Avoid wetting the floor by using a bucket, chute, etc. to catch the water

 Verify proper operation

 Ensure unit is not obstructed

Eyewash Stations
DOC. SAFETY DIVISION STEEL WORKS EFF. DATE 08.08.2005
STANDARD
DOC. # SS/ GEN-13 TITLE Safety Shower & Eye REVISION 00
Wash Station
SHEET 4 OF 7 DUE FOR 01.08.2008
REVISION
COMP. BY Anil Sah SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
AUTH. BY VN SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
Gaikwad

 Flush the system for a recommended 15 seconds and verify delivered

water is clean
 Ensure nozzle protector(s) are in place and can be easily removed via the
water stream or valve operation

 Verify valve remains open until manually closed

 Ensure velocity of water streams are not injurious to the user

 Verify that both eyes would be flushed simultaneously

 Ensure unit is not obstructed and that no sharp items are in the immediate
vicinity

New Installations

For new safety shower installations, eyewash facilities shall also be

provided. These eyewash units shall offer hands-free operation and be
capable of flushing both eyes simultaneously.
All new installations must meet the performance inspection.

Installation Guidelines

Location
Every safety shower must have an adjacent eyewash unit; however, not
every eyewash unit requires an adjacent safety shower. The facilities shall be
located at a convenient place having proper visibility they should be within a
distance of 15 m from the place of work.

Lighting
The area around the safety shower shall be well lighted. The
installation may include an optional green light(25watt- 110volts).
Tank car and tank truck loading / unloading, sampling
stations, and battery chargers
At locations such as described above where personnel could be
exposed to toxic, corrosive, or flammable materials, safety showers
and eyewash facilities should be located within 15 metre, but not less than 10
feet, of the point of potential exposure. Locating a shower / eyewash
on loading or unloading platforms should be considered.
Water Quality
Water Temperature
The water temperature at safety shower and eyewash facilities shall
not be higher than 35°C and should not be lower than 15°C.
DOC. SAFETY DIVISION STEEL WORKS EFF. DATE 08.08.2005
STANDARD
DOC. # SS/ GEN-13 TITLE Safety Shower & Eye REVISION 00
Wash Station
SHEET 5 OF 7 DUE FOR 01.08.2008
REVISION
COMP. BY Anil Sah SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
AUTH. BY VN SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
Gaikwad

Where the water supply temperature may be affected by sun exposure,

adjacent hot piping, equipment, or extreme cold, the site should
provide appropriate controls (e.g., temperature monitoring, insulation,
automatic bleed devices) to maintain the desired temperature range.
Water temperature need not be constant throughout shower or eyewash
use. However, the system should supply at least a 10 to 15 minute
supply in the 15-35°C-temperature range for the number of
shower/eyewash units that could conceivably be used simultaneously.
Where water systems do not provide the required 10 to 15 minute
supply in the 15-35°C-temperature range, a tempered facility shall be
readily available elsewhere on the site.

Caution: Some chemical reactions may be enhanced by contact with

warm water.
Bacterial Contamination
Water quality in plumbed eyewash/safety shower installations must be
maintained to reduce the potential for bacterial contamination.
Lower water temperatures and routine system flushing reduce the
biological load on the system.

Portable Safety Showers and Eyewash Units

General
Although plumbed safety showers and eyewashes are preferable to
portable units, properly equipped and maintained portable units are
acceptable in low hazard or temporary work locations.
The unit shall be connected to a potable water supply capable of delivering not
less than 110 l/min by the method shown in the manufacturer’s instructions.
Eyewash that is not permanently installed and must be refilled or replaced after
use, and meets the performance requirements of this standard.

Any installation of portable safety showers and eyewash units must be

approved by SHE personnel.

Drench Hoses
Drench hoses may be used to supplement safety showers and eyewash
units, but shall not replace them.
Sites shall have a replacement schedule to phase out drench hoses and
replace them with eyewash units where eyewash units are required.

Drench Hose Testing and Inspections by Users

Flush the system for a recommended 15 seconds and verify
delivered water is clean
DOC. SAFETY DIVISION STEEL WORKS EFF. DATE 08.08.2005
STANDARD
DOC. # SS/ GEN-13 TITLE Safety Shower & Eye REVISION 00
Wash Station
SHEET 6 OF 7 DUE FOR 01.08.2008
REVISION
COMP. BY Anil Sah SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
AUTH. BY VN SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
Gaikwad

Ensure nozzle protector is in place and can be easily removed via

the water stream

Ensure velocity of water stream is not injurious to the user and that
the stream is between 4” and 24” in height

Verify aerator screen is clean and that the hose and fittings are in
good shape
Ensure unit is not obstructed and that no sharp items are in the
immediate vicinity

Performance Inspection
Each business unit should establish systems to ensure regular inspection of all
safety shower/eyewash and test criteria required by this procedure.
All deficiencies identified during testing and inspection shall be Corrected
promptly.

Training

Employees shall be trained and receive periodic refresher training in

the proper use, testing and inspection of safety showers and eyewash
facilities.

Appendix

AP029: Inspection Record Tag

Eye & Body Wash Stations

INSP. RECORD

BLDG. ROOM

Inspector Date Shower Date Eye Wash

Inspector Date Shower Date Eye Wash

Location Room Bldg.

Signature of:

Inspector Date Inspector Date

DOC. SAFETY DIVISION STEEL WORKS EFF. DATE 08.08.2005
STANDARD
DOC. # SS/ GEN-13 TITLE Safety Shower & Eye REVISION 00
Wash Station
SHEET 7 OF 7 DUE FOR 01.08.2008
REVISION
COMP. BY Anil Sah SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
AUTH. BY VN SIGNED DATE 08.08.2005
Gaikwad