Emergency Eyewash and Safety Shower Installation and Maintenance Policy
Emergency Eyewash and Safety Shower Installation and Maintenance Policy
Purpose
This policy defines the need, use, and location of emergency eyewash and safety showers.
Scope
Emergency eyewash and safety showers must be approved by and processed through Facilities Planning and Construction Management. Facilities Planning and Construction Management will work with the appropriate parties, such as Environmental Health & Safety, etc., to appropriately locate, label and alarm the emergency eyewash and safety showers. This process will support the safety of those who may need to use the emergency eyewash and safety shower and that the University’s facility investments are protected and code requirements are met.
Policy History
Effective Date: April 4, 2006
Approval: February 9, 2023
Policy History:
- Approved in original form: April 4, 2006
- Approved as amended: January 25, 2016
- Approved as amended: February 9, 2023
Maintenance of Policy: Assistant Vice President for Compliance, Environmental Health & Safety, Division of Audit, Risk and Compliance
Policy
I. Policy
OSHA requires that suitable means for flushing and quick drenching of the eyes and body must be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use whenever the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials. OSHA defines injurious corrosive materials as a chemical that causes visible destruction of, or irreversible alterations in, living tissue by chemical action at the site of contact.
The University is responsible for properly installing and maintaining emergency eyewash stations and safety showers in work areas containing injurious corrosive materials or other hazardous materials as deemed necessary by Environmental Health and Safety (EHS).
The design and installation of all emergency eyewash and safety showers will be handled through Facilities Planning and Construction Management to achieve compliance with all applicable building codes and other regulations, including the American Disabilities Act Standards. The use of professional architectural/engineering services may be required.
II. Design and Installation
Once the need for an emergency eyewash and/or safety shower has been approved Facilities Planning and Construction Management is responsible for and/or contracting with and supervising all external contractors in the design and installation that includes preliminary planning (schematic design), design development, construction documents, bidding or negotiating contracts, and contract supervision. Environmental Health & Safety, Public Safety, UDit and other departments will be brought in as necessary during the design and installation period.
All emergency eyewash and safety showers are to be connected to the domestic water line and plumbed in where feasible. For activities involving the use of materials not at a fixed location port, self-contained portable units must be provided by Facilities Management as deemed necessary.
All standalone safety showers and eyewash/shower combination units located on the main campus will be alarmed and monitored through the Public Safety Dispatch Central Monitoring using the approved Safety Shower Installation Schematic. Alarms and monitoring through Public Safety is not required for emergency eyewash and safety showers located at remote research and/or teaching sites.
Drench hoses and other rinsing devices may be used to supplement emergency eyewash and safety showers, however they may not be used as a substitute.
III. Enforcement of the policy and appeals
The Associate Vice President, Division of Audit, Risk and Compliance is responsible for enforcing the policy and resolving any appeals which may be necessary.
Reference Documents
- Safety Shower Installation Schematic
- Annual Inspection Checklist
Applicable Standards
Appendix A
Testing and Maintenance
EHS is responsible for the initial commissioning and the annual testing of all plumbed emergency eyewash and safety showers on the main campus. Any problems will be reported to Facilities Management for repair. Units at remote sites or portable units will be tested and repaired by the site facility manager or an outside contractor.
Annual testing will check for proper operation, water quality, water temperature and flow using a checklist, and the date and findings of the inspection will be recorded.
Portable units will be regularly checked to make sure they are clean, not contaminated with chemicals, and the solution in them has not expired. If the solution has expired, the solution must be replaced.