Eyewash Stations and Safety Showers Policy
Effective: September 2000
Reviewed: June 2023
Revised: June 2023
Signature/Position: Vice-President, Finance and Operations
Applicable Legislation
Ontario Regulation 851, Industrial Establishments made under the Occupational Health and Safety Act of Ontario.
Relevant Standards: American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard: Z358.1 – 2014 Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment
Intent
To outline requirements for the installation, maintenance and use of emergency eyewashes and safety showers.
Applicability
This Policy applies to all University of Guelph employees (faculty and staff), students, contractors, volunteers and visitors who may be exposed to a potential risk of injury to the eye or skin due to contact with a biological, chemical and other hazardous substance.
Policy Statements
- Where there is potential risk of injury to the eye due to contact with a biological, chemical or hazardous substance, appropriate eyewash shall be provided.
- Where there is potential risk of injury to the skin due to contact with a biological, chemical or other hazardous substance, a quick-acting deluge shower shall be provided.
- Supervisors shall be responsible for determining the need for eyewash and deluge shower equipment within their specific area.
- Where there is potential risk of injury to the eye or skin due to contact with a biological, chemical or hazardous substance supervisors shall provide instruction in the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and emergency shower and eyewash equipment.
- Only plumbed eyewashes shall be provided. Personal eyewash equipment shall only be used in temporary situations and/or where there is no access to plumbing (e.g. on field trips), unless otherwise determined by the Environmental Health & Safety unit (EHS).
- Safety showers, plumbed eyewashes and personal eyewash units must be appropriately maintained.
- Emergency eyewash and shower equipment, its installation and preventive maintenance inspections shall conform to the principles of American National Standard Institute (ANSI) Z358.1-2014 Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment, and all amendments.
Eyewash and Safety Shower guidelines are available online.
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
|
Safety (deluge) |
a unit that enables a user to have water cascading over the entire body; appropriate for workplaces where there is a risk of full body exposure; must deliver not less that 76 litres of tepid water per minute |
|
Eyewash |
a device to irrigate and flush the eyes; must deliver not less than 11 litres of flushing fluid per minute for 15 minutes; appropriate where the risk is limited to the face and eyes |
|
Flushing |
potable water or other medically acceptable fluid such as preserved buffered saline solution |
|
Personal |
a supplementary eyewash that supports plumbed units by delivering immediate flushing fluid (e.g. eyewash bottles and portable eyewash stations); does not provide a 15 minute supply of flushing fluid |
|
Plumbed |
an eyewash unit permanently connected to a source of flushing fluid |
|
Potable |
water that is suitable for drinking |
|
Tepid |
moderately warm; lukewarm; a comfortable temperature range is 26 C to 35 C; the tepid temperature must be maintained for the duration of an emergency shower by an in-line temperature control valve that should prevent scalding |