There are very specific rules and guidelines around the storage and transportation of dangerous substances. From the material of the vessel through to the temperature of the room the chemical is stored in, it’s essential that employers mitigate the risks to ensure the safety of employees, the public and property.

Every year, thousands of workers are injured or suffer ill effects due to hazardous substances. Employers are responsible for taking effective measures to control exposure to these substances and to ensure proper procedures are in place in the event of a spill or splash.

There is a wide range of chemicals that can be hazardous to workers health. If a substance is harmful, they will be clearly labelled with the relevant hazard symbol(s). Common materials in everyday use such as paint, bleach, solvent, or fillers are all considered hazardous.

With winter on the way, are you sure that your safety showers can survive the cold? It’s important to consider how a fall in ambient temperature could affect this life-saving equipment, especially if the units are placed outdoors.

Granite and other natural stones are a highly sought after material, for their various uses across many industries. From architecture and paving, to sculptures, and even home furnishings. Granite is a versatile natural stone used in the production of key infrastructures, such as roads, railways, bridges, and buildings. Natural stone has withstood the test of time as a construction material with buildings crafted in ancient times, such as the marble-crafted Roman Pantheon, still standing tall today.

All industries face their own limitations which can make implementing safety equipment a challenging task. Over the years, Hughes have developed a product range to provide safety showers and eye baths that provide relief in any environment. However, often our customers bring us new challenges which require a bespoke service. At Hughes, we pride ourselves on working directly with our customers to understand their requirements and engineer the most appropriate solutions, whatever the demands.

Safety showers and eye washes are designed to be simple to activate in the event of an emergency, going from off to on within a second. Once they have been installed in the correct position, within 10 seconds reach of the hazard with no obstructions as per EN and ANSI standard stipulations, employees must be made aware of their location and how to use them effectively. 

Light aircraft such as an Airbus A320 can hold 27,000 litres of fuel. While this is a staggering capacity, it pales in comparison to larger aircrafts. The Boeing 777, for example, can hold over 100,000 litres of fuel which weighs over 80 metric tonnes. Regardless of aircraft size, the refuelling process is extremely delicate and is conducted meticulously every time due to the severity of the dangers involved.

A global e-commerce organisation recently expanded its distribution network in Germany with the introduction of a new logistics centre. The company is responding to growing customer demand, offering an even greater product selection and supporting a growing number of independent merchants. The worldwide organisation chose Hughes to provide emergency safety showers for six of their logistic centres.

A UK site of the World's largest chemical producer switched over its production process for the monomer acrylamide to a modern enzyme-based process. The newer, biocatalytic production method results in less waste than the copper catalysis previously used.

Acrylamide is a hazardous substance and it was imperative that any accidental exposure could be dealt with immediately. The company approached Hughes to aid them in specifying the correct product for them.

Hughes Safety Showers, based in Stockport, Manchester has won an International Safety Award from the British Safety Council in recognition of its commitment to keeping its workers and workplaces healthy and safe during the 2019 calendar year.

Vaping has made its mark as one of the fastest growing industries of the 21st century. With the number of vapers globally climbing from just 7 million in 2011 to a staggering 41 million in 2018 and a market worth an estimated £15.5 billion, it’s unsurprising that new vape liquid manufacturers are popping up every day.

To ensure that your e-liquid production facility conforms to health and safety guidelines and your workers are safe, it’s important to invest in EN and ANSI compliant showers and eye/face wash equipment.

Chris March-Jones, Head of Continuous Improvement EMEA at Justrite, is using the principal of Lean manufacturing to improve the way we work at Hughes.

Construction is one of the most fast paced and ever-changing industries on the planet, contributing £117 billion to the UK economy alone and making up 6% of the total economic output. With the vastness of the sector comes a variety of hazards that workers are exposed to, making accidents prevalent and often unprecedented.

The water held in a self-contained shower or eye/face wash units may become stagnant. This makes it susceptible to bacterial growth and if not properly treated and maintained can become a source of infection.

We outline some practical steps for limiting bacteria growth in your safety showers and eye/face wash equipment.

Ensuring you have the right emergency safety equipment can be challenging, especially if your site does not have easy access to a clean potable water supply. Water pressure can also be an issue for a lot of sites.

For a lot of locations, portable emergency safety showers and face/eyewash stations are essential. If installation measures for a plumbed in unit cannot be met, portable equipment can provide immediate access, guaranteeing worker safety.

Tepid water is defined as temperature-controlled water and is one of the requirements for safety equipment to adhere to international standards. For the water supplied by a safety shower to be compliant to ANSI standards this range must be between 16C to 38C (60F to 100F), and 15C to 37C (59F to 98F) for the European EN15154 standard.

Work is already well underway in preparation for the phase-out of petrol vehicles across Europe. The UK Government announced a ban on the sales of new internal combustion engine (ICE) cars and vans - though the original date for this has been pushed back from 2030 to 2035.

Industries worldwide rely on the steady supply of minerals and metals harvested by the mining industry such as coal, iron ore, bauxite, and potash. Though the final products of mining may not be hazardous, there are many chemical risks that mine workers are exposed to daily.