Why Emergency Safety Shower Activation Should Never Be Neglected

Weekly activation of emergency safety shower and eye wash units is a requirement under ANSI and EN standards governing this area of PPE. Facility Managers and Safety Officers should ensure that this is never neglected, for doing so can lead to major problems that may hinder the effectiveness of your emergency safety shower units. 

Sediment Can Build Up in Your Emergency Safety Shower’s Pipework

Without regular flushing sediment can build up in the pipework associated with your emergency safety shower unit. Not only can this be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria, but it can also disrupt the water flow to your emergency safety shower unit or cause blockages entirely. Weekly activation is a must in order to prevent such blockages from happening.

Regular Activation of Emergency Safety Showers Mitigates The Risk of Legionella

Legionella and harmful bacteria thrive in stagnant water. As such, you should never allow water to become stagnant in your emergency safety shower units and their associated pipework. The last thing you want to do to someone exposed to harmful materials is to add more ones into the mix. Weekly activation is vital to ensure that the pipes leading to your emergency safety shower and/or eyewash stations don’t become stagnant. 

Weekly Activation of Emergency Safety Showers Highlights Small Problems Before They Become Big Problems

Adequate water flow (a consistent flow for at least 15 minutes), and adequate water temperature (tepid), are vital to the effective functioning of your emergency safety shower unit. By activating your units weekly, you can identify problems with water pressure or flow early, allowing you to rectify them before they can escalate. Finding out that your water flow is insufficient, or the temperature too cold, is better during the activation/testing stage than when someone needs to use it in an emergency situation.

For more information on emergency safety shower units and eye wash stations, and the requirements pertaining to them, get in touch with the Gaslines Ltd. team today on 0402 32116 (Arklow) or 021 484 1370 (Cork). We have been authorised distributors for the Hughes Safety Shower range in the Republic of Ireland for decades and are highly experienced in the supply and maintenance of emergency safety showers and eye wash untis for a range of industries.