State of Wisconsin’s
Eyewash/Shower
Installation & Hazard
Assessment Guidelines
Issued August 11, 1995
Revised July 24, 2000
State of Wisconsin’s Eyewash/Shower Installation
and
Hazard Assessment Guidelines
Table of Contents
Page
Introduction
2
Goal
2
Purpose
2
Procedures
2-3
Minimum Drenching/Flushing Requirements
4
Typical Scenarios
4-5
Appendix A – Definition
6
Appendix B – Eyewash/Shower Installation Checklist
7-8
Appendix C – Job Hazard Assessment Outline
9-10
Appendix D – Department of Commerce Acceptable
Hand-Held Drench Hoses
11
1
State of Wisconsin’s Eyewash/Shower Installation
and Hazard Assessment Guidelines
Introduction: Personnel in many state agencies/institutions routinely use corrosives
and/or materials that can cause irreversible eye or bodily injury1.
Goal: The goal of this document is to provide guidelines to minimize personnel
exposure.
Purpose: This document is intended to:
1) Provide agencies/institutions with a mechanism to evaluate where eyewash/shower
facilities are needed.
2) Serve as a compliance guide for Department of Commerce requirements for
eyewash/shower installations2 and personal protective equipment3.
3) Institute a process by which Department of Facilities Development (DFD) in the
Department of Administration will consider for approval, requests for
eyewash/shower facilities.
Procedures: Where corrosive and/or materials that can cause irreversible eye or
bodily injury are used, a job hazard analysis (JHA) shall be performed and documented
by staff knowledgeable in this area. Note: A sample checklist for evaluating
eyewash/shower installations is provided in Appendix B. An outline for conducting a
JHA can be found in Appendix C. The JHA should include such information as the
types and quantities of materials in use, frequency and duration of use, and the
physical-working environment. If a hazard exists, the following hierarchy of control shall
be followed:
1) Substitute less hazardous materials.
2) Modify equipment and work practices to minimize hazards.
3) If a hazardous exposure still exists, appropriate personal protective equipment shall
also be provided and worn in the work area as well as providing “suitable facilities for
quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body”.
1
2
3
See Appendix A.
Wisconsin Administrative Code, Chapter Comm 32.30
29 CFR 1910.132
2
4) Equipment maintenance and personnel training shall be included where appropriate.
Each plumbed device should be checked weekly to test equipment performance and
to flush debris or bacterial sediment.
3
Minimum Drenching/Flushing Requirements: Where drenching/flushing facilities are
to be installed, they shall meet the following two criteria:
1) These facilities shall be immediately accessible within the area the hazard is
present; this is defined as within 10-15 seconds with no obstructions to interfere with
accessibility.
2) These facilities shall provide 15 minutes of continuous flush at a rate of .4 gallons
per minute for eye flushing (eyewash unit), 20 gallons per minute for body drenching
(full body shower) and 3 gallons per minute for irrigation and flushing of body areas
(hand-held drench hose)4. Note: The different flow rates are due to the different
hazards that may be present and therefore warrant different
drenching/flushing requirements.
 In addition, these facilities should have the ability to flush both eyes simultaneously
and be highly visible. There also should be no sharp projections in the operating
area of the unit and the nozzles must be protected from airborne contaminants.
Finally, these devices must be protected against freezing.
The decision to install a full body shower versus a hand-held drench hose or a simple
eyewash unit is contingent on the information obtained through the JHA. Many hazards
can be managed and economically addressed by the installation of a flexible hose,
eye/face or body shower. See Appendix D for Department of Commerce, Acceptable
Hand-Held Drench Hose.
The recommended practice for installing eyewashes/showers is defined by the
American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z 358.1-1998 Standard, Emergency
Eyewash and Shower Equipment. The ANSI standard should be followed for new
construction and major remodeling projects. Work areas with plumbing should have
plumbed drenching/flushing facilities.
Typical Scenarios:
1) Laboratories and studios using corrosive of injurious materials shall have plumbed
drenching/flushing facilities5.
2) Where plumbing is not available or feasible, non-pressurized, self-contained
eyewash units may be used, but they must provide 15 minutes of continuous flush
as indicated in ANSI Z358.1-1998. Maintenance of this equipment is very important.
3) For first aid situations, small eyewash bottles may be appropriate when documented
by the JHA and when a follow-up emergency medical plan is in place. Note: These
units are not to be used in place of required drenching/flushing facilities.
4
5
ANSI Z358.1-1998 (sections 4, 5 and 8)
CRC Handbook of Laboratory Safety
4
4) Routine custodial or maintenance activities using corrosive or injurious materials
shall be reviewed with the JHA. Emphasis should be placed on substitution and/or
work practice modification to minimize these hazards.
5) The Material Safety Data Sheets for specific chemicals shall be consulted during the
JHA for drenching/flushing requirements.
*These guidelines are available on the Wisconsin Bureau of State Risk Management’s
Internet web site. The Address is “http://www.doa.state.wi.us/dsas/risk/”.
5
Appendix A
DEFINITION – Materials that can cause irreversible eye or bodily injury:
“A chemical that causes visible destruction of, or irreversible alterations in living tissue
by chemical action at the site of contact. For example, a chemical is considered to be
corrosive if, when tested on the intact skin of albino rabbits by the method described by
the U.S. Department of Transportation in Appendix A to 49 CFR Part 173, it destroys or
changes irreversibly the structure of the tissue at the site of contact following an
exposure period of four hours.”
6
Appendix B
Eyewash/Shower Installation Checklist
Agency:
Building:
Location:
Room(s):
Question
Yes
1.
Are corrosive/injurious materials present in the area?
2.
Has a review of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS’s)
documented eye hazards?
3.
Has a job hazard analysis documented eye hazards?
4.
Has a review of existing procedures concluded that the
process cannot be changed to eliminate the hazard?
5.
Has a review of the materials currently being used concluded
that it is not feasible to substitute non-hazardous materials to
eliminate the hazard?
6.
Have Department of Commerce orders been issued to install
eyewash/shower stations?
7.
Are chemical splash goggles (and face shield if needed)
available for employees/students in the area?
8.
Do area supervisors or instructors enforce wearing splash
goggles/face shield?
9.
Have employees/students been informed of the hazards in the
area?
10. Have employees/students been trained on how to protect
themselves from the hazards in the area?
11. Have eye injuries been reported for this area in the past?
12. Is documentation available to support the above answers? *
7
No
“Yes answers to questions 2 through 5 imply that eyewash/shower stations must be
installed.
A “Yes” answer to questions 1 and 6 does not mandate that eyewash/shower stations
be installed, but rather suggests that a review of procedures and processes such as
those indicated in questions 2 through 5 must be initiated.
“No” answers to questions 7 through 12 imply that administrative and managerial
improvements need to be initiated, possibly in addition to eyewash/shower installations.
Date:
Assessed By:
*This documentation should be provided to DFD upon request.
8
Appendix C
Job Hazard Assessment Outline
1) Review Injury/Illness Records:
Worker’s Compensation reports as well as the OSHA 200 logs can provide valuable
information as to where injuries may be occurring.
2) Hazard Exposure:
Analyze jobs, operations, etc. and identify the potential hazards associated with
each job task. This is the first step in helping to categorize workplace risks.
3) Ask For Input:
Employees and supervisors are excellent resources when it comes to identifying
workplace hazards, plus they can provide invaluable information on how to eliminate
a hazard. Do not hesitate to take advantage of their expertise.
4) Review Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS’s):
MSDS’s are a good place to start when you are looking to evaluate hazard exposure
and the need for personal protective equipment. MSDS’s should be used to
complement your Job Hazard Analysis.
5) Review Loss Control/Industrial Hygiene Surveys:
Previous loss control and industrial hygiene surveys are other excellent sources to
look for information on hazard identification. Outside resources can also provide
credibility to your efforts and lend an extra set of eyes in helping to characterize
hazards.
6) Consider Ways To Eliminate Hazards:
After you have identified the existence of hazards, you need to evaluate ways to
eliminate the hazard. Consider the possibility of substituting less hazardous
materials, evaluate how equipment and work practices can be modified to eliminate
or minimize the hazard. If personal protective equipment is still required, make
certain that personnel are trained in its use and maintenance and this training is
documented.
9
7) Document:
Throughout the JHA make certain that you keep accurate and detailed notes. You
will need these notes to keep track of hazards you have identified as well as to
document progress in hazard abatement.
10
Appendix D
Department of Commerce
Acceptable Hand-Held Drench Hoses
Hand-Held Drench Hoses can be used for emergency flushing of the eyes and face if
they meet the following criteria:
1) The nozzle must be mounted in a rack or holder, which keeps it pointing up.
2) The control valve shall be designed so that it goes from “off” to “on” in a single
movement, in “1” second or less and remains on without requiring the use of the
operator’s hands. A paddle type device is preferred.
3) Drench hoses shall deliver a controlled flow of water at a velocity low enough not to
be injurious to the user. They shall also deliver a minimum of 3 gallons of water per
minute6.
6
ANSI Z358.1-1998 (section 8)
11