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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.

You’ve purchased a safety shower or eye/face wash, the unit has been installed according to ANSI and EN standards, within 20 metres or 10 seconds reach of the hazard, is easily identifiable and free from obstructions.Do all employees know where to find these units? Do they know how to activate a safety shower or eye wash in an emergency?

Quality is essential, particularly in the manufacture of safety products. Safety showers and eye wash equipment must be reliable, robust, and work first time, every time, to protect lives.

Hughes’ rigorous approach to delivering high-quality products is evident throughout our manufacturing processes. We are audited to ISO standards, namely 45001:2018, 14001:2015 and 9001:2015. Producers of sustainable, high-quality components are in evidence throughout our entire supply chain.

The official Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1 and ends on November 30 and has the potential to cause widespread disruption along the Gulf Coast.
Are you prepared for power outages or interrupted water supplies affecting the performance of your plumbed-in safety showers?

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.

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.

The international standard for safety showers and eye/face wash equipment, ANSI Z358.1-2014 specifies that water delivered by an emergency safety shower must be tepid. Safety showers provide immediate relief for employees splashed with hazardous chemicals.

The water, delivered at a minimum of 76 litres per minute for 15 minutes, washes the chemical from the skin and out of the eyes. However, a safety shower that operates outside of the tepid water range can cause more harm to a victim.

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.

The food & drink industry is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, contributing more than £28bn to the economy every year. This industry and its employees face increased demand from a constantly growing population. As pressure to escalate production increases, the industry cannot afford to neglect the safety of its workers.