According to the Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), ten seconds is the longest it should take anyone to reach a safety shower if they are splashed with a hazardous chemical.
These emergency safety shower standards have been set by OSHA regulators to ensure workers have access to immediate relief in the event of a chemical burn or other workplace accident.
OSHA strictly enforces these guidelines and has issued large fines to companies failing to comply. In January 2020, the organisation increased the maximum penalty for violation of its safety standards to $135,000.
The first ten seconds after suffering a chemical burn are essential in preventing serious damage to the skin, eyes and body tissue. With each second that passes without treatment, the more intense the burn becomes and the more harmful the long-term effects can be.
There are many examples of where complex processes and a high production volume mean industrial operations occupy large areas, such as oil refineries and manufacturing plants. Expansions to existing facilities can increase the site footprint even further and remote sections of a plant can be far away from utilities.
Hughes Safety Showers – Tengiz Oilfield Case Study
With extreme temperatures ranging from -49˚F to 113˚F (-45˚C to 45˚C), the Tengiz Oilfield in Kazakhstan is in one of the harshest environments in the world. This makes the supply of potable water in the tepid range very challenging.
Hughes Safety Showers, a Justrite Safety Group company, supplied its Polar Emergency Tank Showers to Tengiz. With an enclosed cubicle, the casualty can remain in a comfortable and safe environment until professional help arrives.
Hughes developed custom immersion heated emergency tank showers, ideal for when low ambient temperatures make standalone safety showers unsuitable for use. A large tank capacity enables a tepid water flow of up to 20 gallons (76 litres) per minute for the shower and three gallons per minute for the eyewash, up to a maximum of 15 minutes.
Heaters and dual thermostats ensure water temperature remains in the tepid range through the use of chiller units and immersion heaters for hot and cold climates.
About Justrite Safety Group
Justrite Safety Group consists of several industrial safety companies focussed on protecting workers, workplaces and the environment through an extensive range of industrial safety solutions.
The group is internationally recognised as an industry-leader in developing innovative solutions for the management of hazardous chemicals and flammable materials.
