I have been put in charge of my facility’s saf ety showers and eyewashes and am finding that the current inspection proces s is not being done correctly.  I’m preparing new inspection pro cedures and want to make sure the process is being done correctly.  After a review of ANSI Z358.1–2009, I came up with my ideas on how we should conduct inspections on safety showers.   ;There may be some better ways to approach this and I also may be wrong on some of my thoughts on the ANSI requirements below in quotation marks.  Please let me know if you think I am off-base wi th these items.  I really appreciate the help of this highly experienc ed group.

 

 

“With the valve in the fully opened positio n, measure the diameter of the spray pattern.  It shall be a minimum o f 20 inches at 60 inches above the standing surface.”

 

My thought was to prepare the 55 gallon drum mounted on a dolly with a spigot at the bottom, a device some others on this email group have recommended.  A 55 gallon drum is about 20 inches across, I believe, and the finished apparatus should be in the neighborhood of 40 inches high.  I thought I would briefly pull the shower and view whether the pattern about a foot and a half above the drum is at least the diameter of the drum.  (Towels on hand, yes)& nbsp; This outfitted drum could also be used for the weekly activation which ANSI says should be done, in this case with on e of those plastic curtain-like things to direct the flow.

 

Now - the issue of the full 15 minute flush.  I know many people are now doing this annually, others not.  The way I look at this is that 4.6.5 states “All emergency showers shall be inspected annually to assure conformance with Section 4.5 requirements of this standard.”

 

If you go to 4.5, the full 15 minute flush is someth ing that is stated as the installer’s responsibility to install.  ; It is not included in 4.5.7, which lists how the performance of the showe r should be verified.  I feel that the 15 minute flush is not an ANSI requirement for annual inspections.  At the same time, I do feel that the 15 second check with the small bucket and curtain -type tube could be considered inadequate.  I am wondering if a reason able approach for me would be to do a 2 minute check, which my 55 gallon drum could hopefully hold, marking the inside of my drum at the 40 gallon level. 

 

Thanks,

Pat

 

Pat Peifer

Safety and Chemical Hygiene Specialist

West Pharmaceutical Services

101 Gordon Drive

Lionville, PA  19341

610-594-3278