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.
A laboratory incident at UC Berkeley in 2009 caused severe chemical burns to a student. A few drops of the corrosive chemical oleylamine fell onto a researcher’s uncovered forearm. When he realized what happened, he went to the restroom and washed his arm with soap and water for about a minute. Unfortunately, oleylamine is corrosive and hard to wash off the skin.
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.
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.
Major water utilities companies across the UK - including Thames Water, Scottish Water, United Utilities and Welsh Water - specify emergency tank showers from Hughes for their site and it’s not difficult to see why.
The acquisition of Sall, designer and manufacturer of environmental protection, material handling, and workplace safety solutions expands Justrite Safety Group portfolio.
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