The U.S. cannabis industry is currently worth $61 billion with nationwide sales increasing 67% in 2020.  With even more growth expected as more states relax cannabis consumption and/or possession laws, it is not surprising that producers are popping up all over the country. Knowing the industry risks, having a safety plan along with the right equipment will help decrease the chances of serious injuries or fatalities.

Ensuring the safety of workers should be one of your primary concerns as an employer. Investing in safety showers ensures you are investing in the safety of your employees as well as providing yourself with peace of mind that you are compliant to national and international standards. It can, however, be a challenging task.

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.

Hurricane Laura, the fifth strongest storm to make landfall in the United States in recorded history, hit the US Gulf Coast at the end of August. An oil refinery and storage facility in Louisiana were left without electricity and an unreliable water supply following hurricane Laura for several weeks. Subsequently, the plumbed in safety showers on the site were out of action putting worker safety at risk.

To avoid huge losses from a potential shutdown, the Louisiana facility reached out to Hughes for emergency units.

Data storage centre sites store computing and networking equipment for the purpose of collecting, storing, processing, distributing or allowing access to large amounts of data. It's essential to ensure that these sites conform to health and safety guidelines and workers are safe.

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 ANSI compliant showers and eye/face wash equipment.

The fertilizer industry uses extremely hazardous materials in their production processes. Common industry chemicals like anhydrous ammonia can cause burns and inhalation hazards. Others like ammonium nitrate pose a risk of fire and explosion. One of the most well-known industrial accidents in recent history occurred in West, Texas, in 2013.

Did you know that you can meet the ANSI Z358.1 standard for safety showers and still be unsafe? It is possible to be so focused on meeting the standard that you miss some very serious risks right next to your emergency shower and eye wash station location.

Emergency safety showers are used in a wide variety of industries. They are critical pieces of safety equipment for providing immediate relief to employees splashed with chemicals.

A local fire brigade responds to an incident at a small chemicals factory. Many hazardous chemicals are on site and the incident has resulted in some injuries. The crew swings into action as their training and experience kick in. They assess the situation, demarcate the danger zone and don their full protective hazmat suits. These brave emergency responders risk their own lives to rescue injured workers and contain the situation.

An emergency safety shower seems like a very simple piece of safety equipment. It must provide tepid water. It should activate quickly. It needs to flow for at least 15 minutes. But, is a simple on/off safety shower the right equipment for every environment?

The internationally recognised American National Standard, ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014 provides uniform minimum requirements for the performance, use, installation, testing, maintenance and training of emergency safety shower and eyewash equipment. This summary presents the main points for consideration to assist health and safety specifiers in understanding the ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014 standard.